Schizophrenia is a severe disorder characterized by disorganized thinking, disturbed perceptions like hallucinations, and inappropriate emotions or actions. Symptoms include delusions, disorganized speech, lack of expression, and inappropriate behaviors like laughing at the wrong times. It typically develops in early adulthood and affects about 1 in 100 people, striking men more often than women. The causes are likely biological and related to abnormal brain development, though environmental factors during pregnancy like infection or malnutrition may also play a role.

1. Chapter 12

2.  Schizophrenia- a group of severe
disorders characterized by disorganized
and delusional thinking, disturbed
perceptions, and inappropriate
emotions or actions

3.  DisorganizedThinking- delusions (false
beliefs) often of persecution or grandeur
 spill out words that are not there
 Disturbed Perceptions- hallucinations
 See, taste, feel, smell things that are not there
 Usually they hear voices that make insulting
remarks or give them orders

4.  Inappropriate Emotions or Actions
 Show opposite emotions than would be normal
 Flat effect- no apparent feelings or actions
 Perform senseless acts-continually rocking,
rubbing their arms, others remain motionless for
hours (catatonia)

5.  Negative Symptoms- actions and feelings are
absent when they should be there
 No expressions on their face
 Positive symptoms- inappropriate behaviors
are present
 Hallucinations
 Talking is disorganized
 Laugh or cry at inappropriate times

6.  1 in 100 people develop Schizophrenia
 Usually strikes in early adulthood
 Men usually get it more often than women
0 10 20 30 40 50
Identical
Both parents
Fraternal
One parent
Sibling
Nephew or niece
Unrelated

8.  Disease of the brain- abnormal brain tissue
 Excess number of dopamine receptors
 Drugs that block dopamine receptors often help
symptoms
 Viral infection of a fetus
 Famine during pregnancy

9.  Low birth rate or lack of oxygen
 Mother was exposed to the flu when she was
pregnant
 Could be biological (inherited)