Question

1. Describe the positive symptoms of schizophrenia and relate those symptoms to the case study patient.  

2. Explain the genetics of schizophrenia.

3. The APRN reviews recent literature and reads that neurotransmitters are involved in the development of schizophrenia. What roles do neurotransmitters play in the development of schizophrenia?

4. The APRN reviews recent literature and reads that structural problems in the brain may be involved in the development of schizophrenia. Explain what structural abnormalities are seen in people with schizophrenia.

5. Discuss the role genetics plays in the development of bipolar 2 disorders.  

6. Explain how the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) system may be associated with bipolar type 2 disease.

7. Discuss the role inflammatory cytokines play in the development and exacerbation of bipolar type 2 symptoms

8. Discuss the role of the amygdala in bipolar disorder.

9. How does neurochemical dysregulation contribute to bipolar disorders?

10. What is the current status of the use of nutraceuticals in management of depression?

11. What are panicogens and how do they contribute to the development of panic attack symptoms?

12. How does the GABA-benzodiazepine (BZ) receptor systems contribute to panic attacks/disorders?

13. Describe the areas of the brain that are associated with social anxiety disorder.

14. How is oxytocin associated with anxiety disorder (SAD)?

15. Discuss the role of neurotransmitters in the expression of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).  

16. Explain the structural brain changes that occur in people with GAD.

17. Describe the changes seen in the brain structure in patients with PTSD.

18. Briefly discuss the role glucocorticoids may have on the development of PTSD.

19. What is primary pathophysiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD?

20. Describe the role the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) has in reinforcement of obsessive behaviors.

Answer 1

1)Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness that affects how a person thinks,feels and behaves. Positive and negative symptoms are medical terms for two groups of symptoms in schizophrenia.Positive symptoms include hallucinations (sensations that aren't real),delusions(beliefs that can't be real) and repetitive movements that are hard to control.The typical positive symptoms of schizophrenia, such as hallucinatory experiences or fixed delusional beliefs, tend to be very upsetting and disruptive.These symtoms of schizophrenia is called positive because it causes a surplus of mental experiences (thoughts, feelings,behaviors). For example,hallucinations, which are not part of the normal ,day -to -day experience for most people are classified as a positive symptom for people with schizophrenia. The phrase "positive symptoms" refers to symptoms that are in excess or added to normal mental functioning.

2)Schizophrenia is not directly passed from one generation to another genetically,and there is no single specific cause for this illness.Rather, it is the result of a complex group of genetic and other biological vulnerabilities,as well as psychological and environmental risk factors.Biologically,it is thought that people who have abnormalities in the brain neurochemical dopamine and lower brain matter in some areas of the brain are at higher risk for developing the condition.

3) The schizophrenia may be caused by a change in the level of 2 neurotransmitters:dopamine and serotonin. Neurotransmitters are referred to as the body's chemical messengers. They are the molecules used by the nervous system to transmit messages between neurons ,or from neurons to muscles.Some studies shows that imbalance between the 2 may be the basis of the problem.According to the new study two brain chemicals may interact to contribute to the devepment of psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia. The results suggests that abnormal levels of the neurotransmitter glutamate may lead to changes in the levels of another neurotransmitter,dopamine,causing the transition in to psychosis. Psychosis is a condition that affects the way your brain processes information.It causes you to lose touch with reality.