PSYC 3390 Chapter Notes -Muteness, James Tilly Matthews, Thalamus
Document Summary
The disorder is characterized by an array of diverse symptoms, including extreme oddities in perception, thinking, action, sense of self and manner of relating to others. The hallmark of schizophrenia is psychosis: a significant loss of contact with reality. Schizophrenia is about as prevalent as epilepsy. The suffering of the person with schizophrenia is often readily apparent, as are bizarre behaviour and unusual appearance. Children whose fathers are older at the time of their birth have 2-3 times higher chance of developing schizophrenia. 1 out of every 100 people living until at least age 55 will develop schizophrenia. High in western ireland and croatia, and low in papua new guinea. Vast majority of cases begin in late adolescence and early adulthood, rarely found in children. Begins earlier in men than in women. Also believed men develop worse cases than women. May be less prevalent in women because the sex hormones (estrogen) play some protective role.
