Brain & SZ

• enlarged ventricles

  caused by death of brain tissue.

  womb, birth, & childhood can cause lesions & make vulnerable to SZ,
• A03 enlarged ventricles: Wright


  meta analysis of brain imaging of SZ patients.

  enlarged ventricles = SZ.
• A03 enlarged ventricles: Deterministic


  may be due to malnutrition, age & trauma not solely a development of SZ.
• Basal Ganglia

  abnormalities regarding dopaminergic transmission equates to positive symptoms.
• A03 Basal Ganglia: Farde


  PET scans show patients of SZ had more dopamine receptor density in basal ganglia.
• A03 Basal Ganglia: correlational

  You cannot establish a clear cause and effect relationship finding it difficult to prevent SZ only tackle symptoms through drug development, reducing its validity as...

  SZ increases dopamine

  dopamine increases SZ.
• Grey Matter

  Reduced grey matter in the PFC in particular links to SZ through cognitive difficulties and impairments.
• A03 Grey Matter: Mathalon

  grey matter loss was progressive in SZ, implying a link.
• A03 Grey Matter: Confounding Variables

  antipsychotics may be the source altering brain structure, or there could have already been a change that has no relation to SZ whatsoever.
• Hippocampus

  Abnormalities regarding its reduced volume equate to disorganised thought & false memories (delusions).
• A03 Hippocampus: Nelson


  Confirmed pattern of hippocampus reduced volume regarding its link to symptoms like cognitive disorganisation.
• A03 Hippocampus: Publication bias

  Meta-analysis could have potential bias, where researchers subconsciously choose ones that over-represent positive findings to support their hypothesis.
• Amygdala

  Dysfunction & overactivity link to paranoia & threat misinterpretation.
• A03 Amygdala: Holt


  Proves overly active amygdala links to emotionally charged stimuli for those with SZ.
• A03 Amygdala: Sample

  Small sample limits generalisability, as it was case-study based so doesn't reflect wider society.
• Prefrontal Cortex

  Dysfunction links to negative symptoms.
• A03 Prefrontal Cortex: Barch


  Says SZ deficits in working memory & attention depend heavily on prefrontal cortex dysfunction.
• A03 Prefrontal Cortex: Cause and effect

  There is no clear cause and effect relationship as a deficit in one does not cause SZ, and vice verse.