Question

How can you explain catatonic schizophrenia from the dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia?

Answer 1

Catatonic schizophrenia is characterized by; thoughts in which there is a distortion of reality and disturbances of thought and language and withdrawal from social contact. Further, the clinical picture of catatonia is characterized by at least three of the following symptoms:

·         Stupor - no psychomotor activity, no interaction with the environment

·         Catalepsy - includes adopting unusual postures

·         Waxy flexibility - if an examiner places the patient's arm in a position, they will maintain this position until it is moved again

·         Mutism - limited verbal responses

·         Negativism - little or no response to instructions or external stimuli

·         Posturing - actively holding a posture against gravity

·         Mannerism - carrying out odd, exaggerated actions

·         Stereotypy - repetitive movements without an apparent reason

·         Agitation - for no known reason

·         Grimacing

·         Echolalia - mimicking another person's speech

·         Echopraxia - mimicking another person's movements. This can be explained by the; dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia or the dopamine hypothesis as the unusual behavior and experiences associated with schizophrenia can be explained by changes in dopamine function in the brain.