Paranoid psychosis

● By: Camilla Firing

● Bernard Prengel

What is psychosis?

● Abnormal condition of the mind● Psychiatric term → loss of contact with reality● People are described as „psychotic“● Personality changes● Thought disorders● +- severe (unusual/bizarre behavior)● Diagnosis of exclusion● Difficulty with social interaction● Difficulty in carrying out normal daily life

psychosis

● Important: laboratory test results should rule out central nervous system

disorders (parkinsons d., Huntigtons d., brain cyst, HIV, tumor, syphilis)

● Psychoactive substances● Toxins

● → before any diagnosis of psychosis is made

Psychosis

● Descritive term for: → hallucinations● Delusions● Sometimes Violence● „deficits“ in normal behavior● Delusional beliefs● Paranoia● Self ↔ others (grandiosity)

Psychosis

● Purpose of the brain → collect information form the environment (eg. Senses)

● Information goes to primary sensory area● → process information● Send it to secondary senory area for

„interpretation“● Spontaneous activity of the primary center may

produce eg. hallucinations etc.● → secondary center misinterprets as info from

real world

Neurobiology

● Psychosis → traditionally linked to dopamine● „dopamine hypothesis of psychosis“● → results from overactivity of dopamine in

the brain● → especially mesolimbic system● → dopamine D2 blocking drugs reduce

symptoms● → amphetamine + cocaine + (levodopa for

parkinsonism) = increase symptoms

Neurobiology

● Also possible dysfunction in glutamate pathway● → NMDA-receptors● → in the limbic system● Dopamine hypothesis oversimplified???

● Large number of antipsychotics have a dopamine receptor antagonist effect

●

Thank you for your attention!

● Sources:● http://www.healthline.com/health/psychosis#Ca

uses4● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychosis● http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Psychosis/Pages/

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