Schizophrenia good prognostic Fs: availability of social support, good premorbid adjustment, acute onset, LOS, female, precipitating events, mood disturbances too, good interepisode fx, minimal residual sxs, normal neurological fx, family hx of Mood ds., no family hx of SZ, family hx of Mood ds Brief Psychotic Disorder (Sx don’t last longer than 1 mos) Schizophreniform … Read more
Validity Internal validity permits the conclusion that there is a causal relationship btwn IV and DV extraneous Fs (that might account for IV differences, not DV) threats: hx (external event), maturation (biological or psychological, e.g., fatigue, boredom, phys/intellectual dev), testing (exp with pre-test), instrumentation (change in nature of instrument), regression toward the mean (individual variation … Read more
Dementia Description Dementia is not a separate disease entity. Instead, it is a “set of symptoms” which may be associated with many disorders. “The essential feature of Dementia is impairment in short- and long-term memory, associated with impairment in abstract thinking, impaired judgment, other disturbances of higher cortical function, or personality change” Dementia is not … Read more
Characteristics Term has been used since 1800’s Loss of function in multiple cognitive abilities (According to DSM diagnosis) Does NOT imply specific underlying cause, progressive course, OR irreversibility (it can be static, progressive or remitting) Distinction b/t delirium and dementia can be difficult (frequently may coexist) Some definitions do require persistence in order to exclude … Read more
ANATOMICAL AND CLINICAL REVIEW Subcortical structures almost always work with association cortex Consequently, lesions of subcortical structures (e.g., thalamus or basal ganglia) as well as white matter can produce deficits such as aphasia or neglect that resemble lesions of the association cortex Functions of association cortex: higher-order sensory processing, motor planning, language processing/production, abstract thought, … Read more
Bacterial Meningitis Infection within the subarachnoid space Usually caused by spread of an infectious agent via the bloodstream from an infective focus elsewhere in the body In neonates, 50% are from things like E coli and H influenzae In children, 50% are from H influenzae In adults, 30% are from S pneumoniae Clinical manifestations Rapid … Read more