Neuroimaging in Psychosis
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Questions and Answers

What does neuroimaging primarily help to understand in psychosis research?

  • Environmental factors alone
  • Aetiology and cognitive models (correct)
  • Social media influences
  • Behavioral therapy methods
  • Which neuroimaging method involves the use of a radio-tracer?

  • MRI
  • sMRI
  • PET (correct)
  • EEG
  • What type of neuroimaging provides structural information?

  • MRS
  • MEG
  • fMRI
  • sMRI (correct)
  • Which of the following is NOT a factor linked to the aetiology of psychosis?

    <p>Limited online presence</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What aspect of psychosis does neuroimaging assist in regarding therapeutic approaches?

    <p>Pharmaco-therapeutics</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which factors mentioned contribute to the final common pathway in psychosis understanding?

    <p>Obstetric complications and economic status</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who conducted early research linking CT scans to enlarged ventricular size in psychosis?

    <p>Johnstone et al.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which neuroimaging technique is considered functional imaging?

    <p>fMRI</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a reason for utilizing neuroimaging in psychosis research?

    <p>It can help in diagnosing and classifying psychotic disorders</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What aspect of neuroimaging methods does DTI primarily focus on?

    <p>Structural connectivity of white matter</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which method of neuroimaging assesses the neurochemical activity in the brain?

    <p>Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a significant issue related to neuroimaging research methods in understanding psychosis?

    <p>They may not reveal causal relationships</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which factor is NOT associated with the final common pathway regarding psychosis?

    <p>Peer influence</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following neuroimaging methods captures both structural and functional information?

    <p>Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does imaging, such as CT scanning, reveal in psychosis research?

    <p>Enlarged ventricular size as a structural change</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which neuroimaging technique requires the injection of a radio-tracer?

    <p>Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of viewing schizophrenia as a dimensional concept rather than a categorical illness?

    <p>It allows for a better understanding of causal factors in the general population.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a clinical high-risk criterion for psychosis?

    <p>Attenuated psychosis syndrome</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why is neuroimaging important in understanding psychosis?

    <p>It is useful for diagnosing and classifying different psychotic disorders.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was revealed by Johnstone et al. in their 1976 neuroimaging study related to schizophrenia?

    <p>Enlarged ventricular size in patients indicating reduced brain tissue.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the term 'final common pathway' in the context of psychosis refer to?

    <p>A collection of risks and factors that converge to influence psychosis.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Neuroimaging in Psychosis Research

    • Neuroimaging techniques, like MRI, PET, SPECT, EEG, and MEG, are used to study brain structure and function in psychosis research.
    • Specific types of MRI include structural (sMRI), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), functional (fMRI), and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS).
    • Positron emission tomography (PET) requires radioactive tracers to visualize receptor activity in the brain.
    • Electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) measure electrical and magnetic brain activity, respectively.

    Aetiology/Cause of Psychosis

    • Schizophrenia is understood as a dimensional, rather than categorical, illness, with varying degrees of severity.
    • Clinical high-risk (CHR) states for psychosis involve emerging symptoms, and some individuals will transition to psychosis.
    • Early-life factors such as obstetric complications, childhood trauma, marginalized group status, substance use, and socioeconomic factors influence brain development, possibly contributing to psychosis risk.
    • Neuroimaging studies are crucial to understand brain structure and function in psychosis and to identify potential causal factors involved.

    Brain Structure in Schizophrenia

    • Neuroimaging studies show alterations in brain structure in schizophrenia, such as reduced grey matter volume in specific areas, like the frontal and temporal lobes, and differences in cortical thickness and subcortical volumes (e.g. hippocampus, amygdala, thalamus, striatum).
    • These changes might be developmental or neurodegenerative, potentially influenced by early-life experiences.
    • Antipsychotic medication can also affect brain structure over time.
    • The right anterior cingulate, insula, thalamus, and temporal gryus are among the areas affected.

    Neurodevelopmental Trajectories in Schizophrenia

    • Early-life factors interact with genetic predispositions to affect brain development which can lead to schizophrenia.
    • Longitudinal studies are needed to pinpoint the timing of neurodevelopmental changes in psychosis onset to further understand the pathogenesis of the disorder.
    • Schizophrenia is better characterized as a spectrum disorder that may be associated with different neurodevelopmental trajectories versus a purely neurodegenerative process.

    Biological Models and Psychosis

    • Neuroimaging can be used to evaluate the dopamine hypothesis of psychosis.
    • PET imaging assesses dopamine receptor binding, synaptic dopamine uptake, and dopamine synthesis capacity.
    • Elevated dopamine activity is observed in certain brain regions (e.g., striatum) in schizophrenia compared to healthy controls. More research remains necessary.
    • The dopamine hypothesis struggles to explain all aspects of psychosis, implying a multi-system etiologic process.
    • Other neurotransmitters besides dopamine may be involved in the development of schizophrenia.

    Diagnosis and Measurement

    • Diagnosis of psychosis often relies on clinical evaluations and subjective assessments, with ongoing efforts to use objective biological measures, like neuroimaging, to inform or aid these diagnoses.
    • Challenges remain with standardization, variability in data across patient groups and settings, and with identifying biomarkers and methods that offer useful diagnostic assistance to improve the accuracy and objectivity of diagnoses.

    Current Research Directions

    • Longitudinal studies, including neuroimaging, are crucial to observe brain changes before and during the development of psychosis.
    • Further exploration is required to understand the trajectory of the disease and the impact of various risk factors and potentially treatments.
    • Advanced methods, such as machine learning, can potentially enhance predictions of psychosis, offering better-guided treatment decisions in early stages and improving prognosis prediction.

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    Description

    Explore the role of neuroimaging techniques in understanding psychosis, including structural and functional MRI, PET, EEG, and MEG. This quiz also covers the aetiology of psychosis, emphasizing schizophrenia as a dimensional illness and the various early-life factors influencing its development.

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