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PSY281 Case study 13 Schizophrenia

Learn about schizophrenia risk in twins, early symptoms like delusions and hallucinations, diagnosis, and the impact of medication adherence through Lucas's story, highlighting challenges in managing this mental disorder.

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    1. What are the statistics for development of schizophrenia among identical twins? If one identical twin develops schizophrenia, there is a 48% chance that the other twin will do the same. If the twins are fraternal, the second twin has a 17% chance of developing the disorder. 2. What were three of Lucas's initial symptoms that signaled a mental disorder? Lucas became delusional "that he had special powers.' He felt he could control other people's emotions and behavior and began to believe he could guide characters on television to move in ways they ordinarily would not. Lucas then began to believe he had a "life force" in his breath and he could influence people through his brea±ing. Lucas began to believe that people were talking about him behind his back and that they knew about his 'special powers.' He started smoking marijuana, which increased his delusions. Lucas began having hallucinations (hearing voices) and became increasingly confused about what was happening to him. 3. What w as the diagnosis Lucas received after he w as hospitalized? schizophrenia 4. Why did he stop taking his medication and what symptoms returned when he stopped takiug his medication? Lucas did not like the side effects of the medications. They made him "tired and dizzy." Within a couple of weeks of discontinuing his medications his hallucinations, intense anxiety, and confusion returned.

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    5. Explain Dr. Hart's theory of the diathesis -stress model of schizophrenia. Dr. Serkin explained that certain individuals may have a predisposing vulnerability (diathesis) to schizophrenia, but the risk of developing the disorder was affected by the degree of stress in their environment. 6. Describe the combination of biomedical and behavioral therapy used by Dr. Hart. This program includes 5 behavioral training modules designed to teach basic skills in areas where patients with the disorder are often lacking: medication and symptom management, grooming and self-care, recreation, job finding, and basic conversational skills. The approach also engages the patient as a collaborator in the treatment program. 7. What are some abnormalities in the brains of individuals with schizophrenia? Brain scans indicate that people with schizophrenia have a dysfunction of the brain circuit that includes -he prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, amygdala, thalamus, striatum, and substantia nigra S. How do antipsychotic drugs w ork to reduce the symptoms of schizophrenia? What are some of the downsides of using these medications? Antipsychotic medications work by altering brain chemistry to help reduce psychotic symptoms like hallucinations, delusions and disordered thinking. They can also help prevent those symptoms from returning (EetterHealth). Antipsychotics can also cause a side effect that's essentially a state that resembles that of Parkinson's disease (self) 9. Why are the newer second-generation antipsychotic drugs usually preferred over the earlier first-generation antipsychotic drugs?

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