Schizophrenia: n. a psychiatric disorder characterized by positive and negative symptoms, including hallucinations, withdrawal from society, lack of emotion, and cognitive impairment
Schizophrenia is a severe brain disorder that affects 1% of Americans. There are three categories of symptoms of schizophrenia: positive symptoms that are not exhibited by healthy people, negative symptoms that are disruptions to normal behavior, and cognitive symptoms. For example, hallucinations and delusions are positive symptoms of schizophrenia. Schizophrenics also experience negative symptoms such as "flat affect" or lack of emotion in one's face, lack of motivation, and social withdrawal. They also experience subtle cognitive impairments such as trouble focusing or making decisions.
Studies have shown that the disorder is linked to malfunctioning genes, environmental factors before or during birth, and differing brain chemistry and structure. People with schizophrenia are usually non-violent. The most common treatment for schizophrenia is the prescription of anti psychotic medication.
There are currently no medical tests to confirm a diagnosis of schizophrenia; however, recent research has revealed that differences in magnetic brain activity between schizophrenics and healthy people may help diagnose the disorder in the future.
Further Reading:
References:
Photo Credit:
http://trialx.com/curetalk/wp-content/blogs.dir/7/files/2011/03/schizophrenic-joem.jpg
Studies have shown that the disorder is linked to malfunctioning genes, environmental factors before or during birth, and differing brain chemistry and structure. People with schizophrenia are usually non-violent. The most common treatment for schizophrenia is the prescription of anti psychotic medication.
There are currently no medical tests to confirm a diagnosis of schizophrenia; however, recent research has revealed that differences in magnetic brain activity between schizophrenics and healthy people may help diagnose the disorder in the future.
Further Reading:
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001925/
- http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/schizophrenia/index.shtml
- http://psychcentral.com/news/2013/02/03/magnetic-brain-activity-may-reveal-schizophrenia/51119.html
References:
- Freudenreich O, Weiss AP, Goff DC. Psychosis and schizophrenia. In: Stern TA, Rosenbaum JF, Fava M, Biederman J, Rauch SL, eds. Massachusetts General Hospital Comprehensive Clinical Psychiatry. 1st ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier;2008:chap 28.
- Lyness JM. Psychiatric disorders in medical practice. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Cecil Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2011:chap 404.
- National Institute of Mental Health. (2009). Schizophrenia. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
- Pedersen, T. (2013, February 3). Magnetic Brain Activity May Reveal Schizophrenia. Retrieved from PsychCentral: http://psychcentral.com/news/2013/02/03/magnetic-brain-activity-may-reveal-schizophrenia/51119.html
Photo Credit:
http://trialx.com/curetalk/wp-content/blogs.dir/7/files/2011/03/schizophrenic-joem.jpg