Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
MyResearch
Hypothesis: Could an increase in stress in
patients with schizophrenia lead to an
increase in KYNA, which in turn causes a
worsening in cognitive impairments?
Purpose: The scientific community still
does not know what causes schizophrenia.
Individuals who suffer from schizophrenia
are unable to perform daily functions such
as learning and memorizing information.
By figuring out what causes these
cognitive symptoms to worse, the
scientific community can begin to produce
more effective treatment options. The idea
behind these experiments is that the more
the scientific community can learn about
schizophrenia, the closer they are to
finding a cure.
Results: There is definitely enough
evidence to suggest that there is a
correlation between an increase in KYNA
and a worsening in cognitive impairments
in rats that were prenatally exposed to an
increase in KYNA. This suggests that not
only does an increase in KYNA effect
cognitive symptoms, but that something
occurs in the embryo that increases
KYNA and disrupts future development.
Treating Schizophrenia
A Deeper Look
into Schizophrenia
Contact Me!
Carly Fabian
Marriotts Ridge High School
Intern Mentor G/T
Teacher: Eckert
Grade: Senior
E-mail: c.fabian231@gmail.com
http://psychcentral.com/lib/wpcontent/uploads/2014/02/schizophrenia-bigst.jpg
Carly Fabian
Marriotts Ridge High School
Introduction
Importance of Awareness
What Is Schizophrenia?
What is schizophrenia? Schizophrenia is
defined as a severe brain disorder in which
people interpret reality abnormally (ADAA).
Schizophrenia has a lot of distinct
characteristics. Unlike a lot of other mental
illnesses, schizophrenia usually stays dormant
until the individual is around his or her early
20s or late/mid 30s and is more prominent in
men than in women. There are several
different symptoms that are associated with
schizophrenia. Positive symptoms; which
include hallucinations and delusions, negative
symptoms; which include dullness and
depression-like symptoms, and cognitive
impairments; which include inability to focus,
problems learning and memorizing.
http://img.webmd.com/dtmcms/live/webmd/consumer_assets/site_images/ar
ticles/health_tools/schizophrenia_overview_slideshow/webmd_rf_photo_of_
mri_brain_scans.jpg
Treatment Options
There are several different types of treatments
that are used to treat schizophrenia. It is
recommended that patients who suffer from
schizophrenia use a blend of several different
options of treatment, as seen in figure 3. This is
mainly suggested because schizophrenia is such
a complex illness that effects several different
parts of the brain and body. By using more than
one treatment option, the individual is able to
better target and focus on different symptoms.
Most individuals who suffer from schizophrenia
have one of the several different kinds of
therapy. The most popular form of therapy is
cognitive therapy which, according to SCADDA,
involves regular sessions between the patient
and a therapist focused on past or current
problems, thoughts, feelings, or relationships
(SARDAA). In addition to therapy, antipsychotics are prescribed to individuals who
suffer from schizophrenia. Anti-psychotics are a
form of medication that treats psychosis, which
is defined as conditions that affect the mind,
and in which there has been some loss of contact
with reality, often including delusions (false,
fixed beliefs) or hallucinations (hearing or seeing
things that are not really there)(NIMH). Antipsychotics are used to treat the positive
symptoms associated with schizophrenia. They
are the most effective medication available, but
can take up to 6 to 8 weeks to start taking effect.