Schizophrenia is described by abnormalities in an individual’s perception and expression of reality (Comer, 357). This abnormal perception and expression significantly interferes with normal daily living and functioning (Comer, 357). Thus, it is classified as a mental illness. Furthermore, it is a mental illness where the individual loses touch with reality-psychosis (NIHM). Schizophrenia and the psychosis state is characterized by 1) delusions (fixed false beliefs), 2) hallucinations (auditory and, or visual), 3) disorganized speech, 4) or catatonic speech and or behavior, 5) disorganized or catatonic behavior, and 6) negative symptoms (DSM-5; Comer, 360), In DSM-V, two of these five symptoms are required AND at least one symptom must be …show more content…
Cognitive symptoms include: neurocognitive deficits (deficits in working memory and attention and in executive functions), difficulty understanding nuances for, of communication cues and relationships (Tamming & Medoff, 340). There are many theories as to what the causes for, of schizophrenia are. Recent research indicates that schizophrenia is due to a genetic predisposition and environmental stressors in early development (during pregnancy and birth, and/or early childhood), leading to indirect changes in the brain (Comer, 370). These environmental stressors don’t dictate and guarantee an individual to form schizophrenia, but rather an increase in susceptibility (Comer, 370). Additional environmental factors and stressors later in life (during childhood, adolescence and young adulthood) can either damage the already vulnerable brain further or decrease the expression for schizophrenia (Comer, 370). Interestingly, increased paternal age is also associated with a greater risk of schizophrenia onset (NIHM). The risk of schizophrenia is increased in biologic relatives whom have schizophrenia (Comer, 371). The risk of schizophrenia in first-degree relatives of persons with schizophrenia is 10% (NIHM). There is a 40% chance of having schizophrenia if both parents have it. (NIHM) “Concordance for schizophrenia is
Schizophrenia is a severe, disabling and chronic disorder that affects people. Schizophrenia is diagnosed as a psychotic disorder. This is because a person suffering from schizophrenia cannot tell their own thoughts, perceptions, ideas, and imaginations from the reality. There is continuing debate and research as to whether schizophrenia is one condition or a combination of more than one syndrome that have related features. People suffering from schizophrenia may seem perfectly fine until the time they talk actually talk about they are thinking. People with schizophrenia rely on others for help since they cannot care for themselves of hold a job. There is no cure for schizophrenia, but there is treatment that relieves some of the symptoms. People having the disorder will cope with the symptoms all their lives. There have been cases of people suffering from schizophrenia leading meaningful and rewarding lives. There are five types of schizophrenia namely paranoid, disorganized, residual, undifferentiated, and catatonic schizophrenia. This paper will discuss paranoid schizophrenia.
Another study was conducted to see how “childhood and adolescent risk factors predict the age of onset of psychosis in patients with and without a familial component” (ENVIRNMT RISK FCTRs). They took 100 patients with a 55 men and 45 women. (AUTHOR), results found that birth complications and cannabis use are predictors for an earlier onset of schizophrenia when the person had non familial schizophrenia. No environmental risk factors were found for an earlier onset in familial
.(3) Schizophrenia is often present in familial clusters. Monozygotic twins have an even slightly higher concordance rate. It has been found through studies that adoptive parents do not have any effect upon children in relation to developing the disease, which is also another strong biological marker. The risk factor of children with parents suffering from the disease rises from one percent to twelve percent . Another finding that backs up the biological basis claim is that lower levels of platelet monomania oxidase B are found in people suffering from chronic schizophrenia. Higher levels in the cerebral spinal fluid of these monoamine metabolites, HVA, and 5HIAA are found in people with a family history of schizophrenia as opposed to people without the genetic predisposition afflicted with the disease. .(4) These varying levels result in varying biochemical changes that are predetermined and passed through families.
Erlenmeyer-Kimling also noted that environment and early developmental damage could play a role in the onset on schizophrenia. This disease may have a series of triggers that could bring on the onset of the disease. These triggers could include complications during pregnancy and/or labor, prenatal exposure to a virus (especially in the fifth month when brain development occurs), and stress throughout the stages of life. (Dincin 103)
Schizophrenia, a thought process that has affected many lives, is characterized by disruptions to the thinking processes, emotions, as well as one's sensory perception. Schizophrenia is a multi-faceted affliction in that individuals suffer audio and visual hallucinations and often deal with financial burdens as well. Many individuals fail to realize that they suffer from this mental disease until symptoms and effects begin to manifest themselves. Treatment for this illness consists of a combination of drug therapy with changes to diet, lasting an entire lifetime. Living with schizophrenia is difficult for
Experts think that schizophrenia is caused by many contributing factors according to the NIMH and Berstein. Although there is a lot about schizophrenia that experts may not know, they do know that it is a genetic disease hat runs in families. According to the NIMH, those affected individuals are highly likely to have a close relative such as a mother, father, sibling, or grandparent with the disorder. According to Tischauser, a person with one parent who has the disease is ten times more likely to develop schizophrenia than a member of the general public. Thirty-nine percent of people who have both parents afflicted with the disease also develop schizophrenia. Schizophrenia majorly affects a person’s brain. The disorder disrupts the way that the brain cells function and communicate with each other. In the affected persons’ brain, the neurotransmitters that carry signals from one cell in the brain to the other may be abnormal or the transmitter may be malfunctioning (Bernstein). It is believed that several genes are associated with an increased risk of having schizophrenia. No single gene causes schizophrenia by itself. In fact, the genetic differences may include up to hundreds of different genes and the disruption of brain development. Bernstein states that we do know that there is an affected gene that is key to making important chemicals for the brain. Also, experts say that the environment is a factor in people with schizophrenia. For example, some environmental factors may include exposure to viruses, malnutrition before birth, problems during birth and other not yet known psychological factors. According to Anushree Bose, other factors that contribute to having schizophrenia include an imbalance of brain chemistry and different structures of the brain (7). The NIMH also adds that a person’s brain who has schizophrenia will look similar to a healthy person’s brain, but only in small ways. They
Environmental factors are crucial to the development of schizophrenia. A traumatic experience in early childhood can cause schizophrenia in the future for example sexual or physical abuse. It carries over to adulthood. According to some studies, the age of the father contributes to the risk of schizophrenia. The older the father the greater the risk because of the “genetic mutation in the sperm that can be passed on.” (Berkshire Health System, 2014)
Schizophrenia is quite possible the most dreaded psychological disorder there is. It is also one of the most heavily researched (Myers, 477). Unfortunately there is no certain cause of this disease. Researched show that genetic predisposition enhances the probability of schizophrenia. A child who has a biological parent that has been diagnosed with schizophrenia has approximately a one in eight chance of developing this dreaded disorder (Berger, 407). In a study this is evaultion
Research has shown that one of the main factors of schizophrenia is genetics. Despite the fact that there has been no specific gene linked to the cause of schizophrenia, there is a gene related to the risk of one developing schizophrenia known as the brain derived neurotropic factor (Egan, Weinberger, Lu, 2003). This brain deriving factor is known to effect the hippocampus, this aids in the creation of impairments of individuals with schizophrenia. Perhaps one of the most interesting elements in the development of schizophrenia is that it truly developed; it is a psychological disorder that has many factors that work in conjunction with a susceptibility gene before the onset (Bray, 2007).
Next is the Environmental/ Interpersonal Theory. This theory proposes that schizophrenia and emotional disorders are directly correlated to a person’s young upbringing in the home and parental figures. It also proposes the idea that stress is a pivotal cause. A strong
Although the exact cause of schizophrenia has not yet been discovered, there have been observed trends in those who have it. A child whose parent or sibling has schizophrenia has a 10% chance of developing schizophrenia, while a person whose second-degree relative (aunt, uncle, cousin, etc.) has schizophrenia has a lower chance. The
It has been conclude, as a matter of fact, that genetics do play a major role in the cause of schizophrenia. For example, the probability of receiving schizophrenia as a result of being the child of two parents without the disease is 1%. If one parent has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, the probability of having schizophrenia as the offspring of this parent is 13%. The chance is 35% if both the parents of the child have been diagnosed with schizophrenia(Schizophrenia.com). This proves that biogenetics do indeed take part in schizophrenia.
Schizophreniais one of the most commonly known psychological disorders found in humans. It is commonly mistaken for “multiple personality” or “split personality” due to the Greek origin of its name skhizein and phren, meaning “to split” and “mind” respectively. However, the more common symptoms of schizophrenia are hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thought. This paper will discuss the causes, symptoms, and treatments of schizophrenia.
Cognitive symptoms – impairment in attention, executive function, working memory, long term memory, learning, they are deciding factor patients functional capability, occupational performance and how successful will be an individual in maintaining treatment.
Family studies indicate children who have both biological parents diagnosed with schizophrenia are 46% likely to develop the mental health disorder. Twin studies vary slightly as different findings are found, Gottesman study in 1991 proposed that identical twins have greater chances of developing schizophrenia (48%) compared with fraternal twins (17%) (Hill 2001). Lastly adoption studies have revealed when adopted individuals are raised by adoptive parents who have schizophrenia they’re at greater risk of developing the disorder (Haimowitz 2005). Although these studies have shown several incidences where genetic factors contribute to the development of schizophrenia, they don’t account 100% for schizophrenia. As they may only be triggered by environmental surroundings influencing the