Biological - Neural and Evaluation

• Which pathway does hypodopaminergia occur in schizophrenia?

  Hypodopaminergia occurs in the mesocortical pathway.
• What did Davis (1991) research regarding adoptees in Finland?

  Davis researched 164 adoptees and found that more experimental adoptees received diagnoses compared to controls.
• What does the mesolimbic pathway relate to in schizophrenia?

  The mesolimbic pathway is associated with too much dopamine transmission leading to positive symptoms.
• What does the mesocortical pathway relate to in schizophrenia?

  The mesocortical pathway is associated with not enough dopamine transmission leading to negative symptoms.
• What did Tienari (2000) challenge regarding the dopamine hypothesis?

  Tienari challenged the dopamine hypothesis by stating that high levels of dopamine are not found in all schizophrenia cases.
• What is the diathesis-stress model in relation to schizophrenia?

  The diathesis-stress model suggests that a predisposition to an illness combined with environmental influences can determine the likely outcome.
• What is hyperdopaminergia and its relation to schizophrenia?

  Hyperdopaminergia refers to an excess of dopamine in the front of the brain, responsible for positive symptoms.
• What are the three possible causes of schizophrenia according to the biological approach?

  The three possible causes are genetic explanations, the dopamine hypothesis, and neural correlates.
• How do genetics influence the development of schizophrenia?

  Genetics can predispose individuals to schizophrenia, increasing their risk of developing the disorder.
• How does the dopamine hypothesis explain the symptoms of schizophrenia?


  The dopamine hypothesis explains that imbalances in dopamine levels contribute to the positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia.
• How do neural explanations explain the development of schizophrenia?


  Neural explanations suggest that abnormalities in brain structures and neurotransmitter systems contribute to the development of schizophrenia.
• What is the correlation between enlarged ventricles and schizophrenia?

  80% of individuals with schizophrenia show enlarged ventricles.
• What did Juckel et al. (2006) find regarding negative symptoms and the ventral striatum?

  Juckel et al. found a negative correlation between activity levels in the ventral striatum and the severity of overall negative symptoms.
• What is avolition in the context of schizophrenia?

  Avolition is a negative symptom that involves the loss of motivation.
• What did Allen et al. (2007) discover about auditory hallucinations?


  Allen et al. found lower activation levels in the superior temporal gyrus and anterior cingulate gyrus in patients experiencing auditory hallucinations.
• What are the two brain areas associated with auditory hallucinations?


  The superior temporal gyrus and anterior cingulate gyrus.
• What did Kircher (2001) find regarding disorganized thoughts and Wernicke's area?

  Kircher found a negative correlation between disorganized thoughts and activity in Wernicke's area.
• What are some alternative explanations for schizophrenia?

  Alternative explanations include psychological factors like family dysfunction, smoking during pregnancy, and socio-cultural factors.
• How does smoking during pregnancy relate to schizophrenia?

  Heavy nicotine exposure during pregnancy increases the chance of the child developing schizophrenia by 38%.
• What is the risk increase for children developing schizophrenia if their mothers had the flu during pregnancy?

  Children exposed to influenza during the first trimester have a 3x increased risk of developing schizophrenia.
• How does living in a poorer area relate to the development of schizophrenia?


  Individuals living in poorer areas are 4% more likely to develop schizophrenia.
• What is the purpose of counterbalancing in a repeated measures design?

  Counterbalancing is used to control for order effects in repeated measures designs.
• What did Longenecker do in schizophrenia research?

  Longenecker researched gender differences in the diagnosis of schizophrenia.
• Who challenged the original dopamine hypothesis?

  Davis challenged the original dopamine hypothesis.
• What is a limitation of the original dopamine hypothesis?


  A limitation is that it was considered too holistic and did not account for other factors.
• What is one strength of the dopamine hypothesis?

  One strength is that it is supported by the use of antipsychotic medications that target dopamine.
• What is a criticism of new antipsychotics in relation to the dopamine hypothesis?


  A criticism is that new antipsychotics target serotonin, suggesting the dopamine hypothesis may be too simplistic.
• What does it mean to be biologically reductionist in the context of schizophrenia?

  Being biologically reductionist means oversimplifying the causes of schizophrenia to biological factors alone, ignoring psychological and social influences.