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Evaluation of brain structure for SZ - Coggle Diagram
Evaluation of brain structure for SZ
EVIDENCE
young et al (1990)
- found a number of structural differences using MRI scans when comparing the brains of SZs & non-SZs. This suggests that brain differences are strongly linked with the development of SZ
susser et al (1996)
- found children conceived during a famine had twice the normal risk of developing SZ
Warner (1994)
- suggested that structural abnormalities in the brain of some SZs, indicates some earlier brain trauma - drugs taken whilst the mother was pregnant, viral infection during pregnancy, or complicated delivery
this suggests that brain damage is a predisposing factor in the development of sz
Pahl, Swayze & Andreasen (1999)
- reviewed ~50 studies, the great majority of which found abnormally large lateral ventricles in the brains of patients with SZ
Walker, Savoie & Davis (1994) -
childhood home movies indicated early issues in brain structuring with motor movements
Castner (1998)
- subjected monkeys to brain damaging x-rays during fetal development & found they showed no ill effects in childhood, but when they reached puberty they started to develop symptoms (EG: hallucinations)
Fusar-Poli (2013)
- conducted a meta-analysis of brain scanning studies & found ppts who'd been given anti-psychotics as treatment showed an overall reduction in brain volume, more so in the reduction of gray matter.
he also found that there was also a slight increase in lateral ventricle size too
APPLICATION
if sz is only due to brain structure it can cause social harm to those with brain deficits, even if they dont have SZ
early intervention to protect people at risk from getting TBIs
drug therapy to help reduce further enlarging ventricles and exercises to increase other parts of the brain
COMPARISONS & LIMITATIONS
deterministic
- ignores environment as structural anomalies have been found more often in those with negative/cognitive symptoms, rather than positive/acute symptoms - lending support to the belief that there are 2 types of SZ
reductionist
- enlarged ventricles have been found in people not suffering from SZ - this contradicts enlarged ventricles as a cause
biological explanations alone are too reductionist
stress diathesis model
- better explanation
HOW GOOD IS THE RESEARCH?
brain scans -
the use of brain scans provides scientific & objective data (increased reliability)
cause or consequence?
- causation cant be inferred as associations only have been identified because data is correlational.
brain scans arent used as diagnostic tools
we only look at brain scans
after
diagnosis so we dont know if brain damage is the
cause
of or
result
of SZ
animal research
- only area to show a causal link but may not apply to humans as we live in complex society