biological explanations for schiz
what is the genetic explanation
if family members have schiz you are more likely to develop schiz because you may inherit a specific gele allele associated with schiz
what types pf study has been used to test schiz om genetics
twin studies, family studies, adoption studies and gene mapping
what is a study for twin studies
gottesman and shields- conducting a twin study looking at the concordance rate for schizophrenia. concordance rate for mz- 74%, dz-24%. indicated geentic contributes to schiz however as mz is not 100% it shows that environment also plays a role
what isa study for adoption studies
tienari- he did a study comparing a group of adopted children whose biological mother has schiz and adopted children whose biological mother did not have schiz. found that children of biological mothers hwo has schiz were more likely to develop schiz. geentics has more influence than the environment
whats neural correlate hypothesis
neural correlates explanation is said that the structure of the brain and abnormalties within may be associated with schizophrenia
what are some of the abnormal brain stucture
larger ventricles, smaller frontal cortex
how does torrey study support abnormal structures of the brain
torrey used MRI scans to compare brains of schiz patients and healthy patients. the ventricles were 15% larger in the schiz patients than the healthy group
whats a weakness for neural correlate
Scans show us a cause and an effect. We cannot say two variables are caused by one another. In schiz, a pateints medication may act as a cofoudning variable which might be causing the brain abnormalties
neural correlate with negative symptom
it is seen that avolition is involved with the ventral striatum which is involved with anticipation. juckel found lower levels of activity in the ventral striatum in schiz patients than the control group
what is the dopamine hypothesis
schiz patients have higher levels of dopamine than healthy people. Dopamine is an excitatory neurotransmitter which is linked to pleasure and happiness
what is hyperdopaminergia in the sub cortex
high levels of dpamine in the central levels of the brain e.g broca's area. excess of dopamine in brocas area can be linked to speech poverty and hallucinations
what is hypodopaminegia in the cortrex
low levels of dopamine in the prefrontal cortex is linked to the negative symptoms of schiz
whats a strength for the dopamine hyp
kessler used PET and MRI scans to compare people with schiz with healthy people. found that schiz patients had high levels of dopamine in key areas of the brain. however healey were keen of the dompamine hypothesis as they would make profits making schiz drugs which can lead to a fasle understanding of the illness.
whats animal support fot dopamine hypothesis
Randrup and Munkvad gave rats amphetamines which increase the level of dopamine. then they give the rats neuroleptic drugs which inhibit the release of dopamine. which reversed the effects. However you cannot generalise, anthromorphism