Running head: SCHIZOPHRENIA

Schizophrenia Sergio D. Sanchez Northern Oklahoma College

SCHIZOPHRENIA Schizophrenia Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that effects less than two percent of the population. It affects the brain and can be caused by stress, genetics or the environment in which someone lives. A cure has not been discovered but there are treatments that have made the effects of schizophrenia decrease. In this research there is information on all of these topics. Characteristics & Causes of Schizophrenia Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that affects only humans. Schizophrenia has varied and ominous symptoms that generally begin in late adolescence or early adulthood and usually continue throughout life (Wood, Alastair & Freedman Pg.1738). Patients with schizophrenia face auditory hallucinations and delusions. Most of the time the patients knows that what they

are hearing or seeing is not really happening but it is very overwhelming for them to cope with it. Patients tend to be violent because of the hallucinations that they hear or see may tell them to do something that they would not normally do. The voices tend to tell the patients that the world and everyone around them is conspiring against them. Cognitive dysfunction, including a decreased ability to focus attention and deficiencies in short-term verbal and nonverbal memory, is also a core feature of the illness, which predicts vocational and social dis- abilities for patients (Wood, Alastair & Freedman Pg.1738). Patients with schizophrenia are at a higher risk of drug and alcohol problems(Mueser & McGurk Pg.2064). Treatments There is no current cure for schizophrenia there are just medications patients can take to lower the effects schizophrenia has on them. One of the ways that schizophrenia can be treated is by the reduction of dopamine that goes to the brain. This helps the patient concentrate and

SCHIZOPHRENIA improves his/her perceptual abilities(Wood, Alastair & Freedman Pg.1739). The dopamine treatment has its flaws because it does not cure all of the effects of schizophrenia;

First, blockade of dopaminergic neurotransmission does not fully alleviate symptoms of schizophrenia. Second, although positive symptoms of schizophrenia are diminished when dopaminergic neurotransmission is decreased by antipsychotic medications, levels of dopamine metabolites and receptors, when measured in patients before and after treatment, are still generally within the wide range of normal role of dopamine in the brain is more complex than that of acting as a simple switch for psychotic symptoms(Wood, Alastair, Freedman Pg.1739).

Psychosocial treatment helps the family and patient understand and learn about ways to deal with schizophrenia. This type of treatment also teaches the patients with socializing and helps them find jobs that can work with them and their situation. This kind of treatment has shown positive results with the patients and how they handle their situation.

Side Effects of Treatments With all of the medication patients take and treatments they go through there are several side effects that arise. The most common side effect that come from the blockage of dopamine is the involuntary movement disorder that mimics Parkinsons disease(Wood, Alastair & Freedman Pg.1743). Clozapine is the first atypical antipsychotic drug because it helps with the psychotic problem without movement being effected. Patients taking clozapine must be monitored for the leukocyte count after they have discontinued taking the drug. The death rates

SCHIZOPHRENIA for patients who take clozapine have a death rate of 0.013 percent(Wood, Alastair & Freedman Pg.1744). Second generation drugs produce significant weight gain, Diabetes mellitus, and cholesterol levels increase(Wood, Alastair & Freedman Pg.1745). Early Intervention

Being able to intervene early in a child who may later get schizophrenia is crucial but it is very hard to do. Clinicians are usually reluctant to diagnose a child with schizophrenia. The presence of hallucinations and delusions is usually just said to be a childhood fantasy(Wood, Alastair & Freedman Pg.1747). Children who are affected by schizophrenia are deeply troubled, can be suicidal or even homicidal, and at this age they may have a good response to a secondgeneration drug but may also gain weight. Another reason why its hard to diagnose a child is because attention deficit disorder and schizophrenia go hand in hand when it comes to symptoms. 3rd world countries and schizophrenia People who live in third world countries may not know what schizophrenia is or how to treat it since they may not have the means to get treatment or analyzed. They may encounter other challenges; The detection of schizophrenia may be complicated by the higher presence of infectious, parasitic, and nutritional diseases that result in psychotic symptoms. Second, most people with schizophrenia in developing nations live with family members, but receive no formal treatment, resulting in a high burden of care on relatives. The integration and provision of mental health services in primary health-care settings has shown some promise as a

SCHIZOPHRENIA strategy for increasing access to treatment (especially antipsychotic medication) for people with schizophrenia. Third, the effectiveness and need for adaptation of

pharmacological and psychosocial treatment methods supported by rigorous research in developed countries largely remain to be determined for developing countries(Mueser & McGurk Pg.2069). That is why schizophrenia may seem like its not as common in third world countries but it is they just may not have the means to get treated and diagnosed.

Environmental Impacts & Genetics

The environment in which someone is born into or exposed to can also cause schizophrenia. Individuals born in urban areas are more likely to develop schizophrenia than those born in rural areas The risk of development of schizophrenia is increased by prenatal and perinatal eventsincluding maternal influenza, rubella, malnutrition, diabetes mellitus, and smoking during pregnancyand obstetric complications(Mueser & McGurk Pg.2064). The lower class in society is usually at a higher risk to get schizophrenia due to the amount of stress that they endure. Schizophrenia has no cure it can only be treated because science has only been able to accomplish so much. It can be caused by genetics or environmental factors. It affects the brain and can limit the brains functions from speech, movements, create false hallucinations, and delusions. The treatments help but their side effects are to be considered when treating a patient. Intervening with schizophrenia could be an advantage but is wrongfully diagnosing someone

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worth it? Studies are still being performed to try to figure out a cure or treatments that dont have as many side effects.

SCHIZOPHRENIA References Mueser, K. T., & McGurk, S. R. (2004). Schizophrenia. Lancet, 363(9426), 2063-2072. Wood, Alastair J. J., M.D., & Freedman, R., M.D. (2003). Drug therapy: Schizophrenia. The New England Journal of Medicine, 349(18), 1738-1749. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/223926269?accountid=4117