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Heart failure, coronary artery disease, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate variability QT interval, early repolarization and dilated cardiomyopathy ECG patterns appear in higher rates in patients with schizophrenia, as opposed to those without the disease. Individuals with schizophrenia have a 15 to 20 year shorter life expectancy than that of the general population. Researchers found evidence that schizophrenia increases the risk of heart failure roughly (95%). The body caused dysregulation by schizophrenia, including inflammation and oxidative stress, promoting cardiac alterations and ultimately heart failure in patients diagnosed with the condition. These studies showed how schizophrenia increases heart rate variability.

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CBT Varies specifically for different types of mental illness, hence the specific instructional content and research material.

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CBT is a specialized type of therapy that aims to help patients change their point of view on specific mental illness, and work towards living a life where they can manage the illness and acknowledge the symptoms as something that is not actually happening to them. In schizophrenic patients specifically, CBT is designed to target the social and personal aspects of the disease. Research before the 1980s classified schizophrenia as a medical-only illness, not one that has mental correlation. The long-term effects of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for schizophrenia are significant improvements in overall symptoms. It betters social functioning, decreased risk of relapse, and an improved quality of life. Types of professional that would be required to deliver CBT are psychologists, therapists, and counselors. They use it to treat mental health conditions and emotional concerns.

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Stressful or emotional life events can trigger psychotic episodes, leading to schizophrenia. Other factors, such as pregnancy, can cause malnutrition or even exposure to certain toxins that may increase the risk of having this disease. Infections, nutritional deficits, and neurotoxins are also considered types of brain disruptors as well.

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Men in their early twenties are more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia than women. Men start to exhibit an stages of the disease early on, then as the disease progresses it becomes more apparent.

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Schizophrenia is a chronic brain disorder that when active, includes many symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, trouble thinking, etc. Our group decided to study schizophrenia due to its rarity and complexity.

https://www.facebook.com/uniladmag/videos/schizophrenic-artist-draws-his-hallucinations/302271451815430

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2.8M views · 32K reactions | Schizophrenic Artist Draws His Hallucinations | Xorad is using his art to educate others about schizophrenia and the hallucinations he experiences 👏 | By UNILAD | Facebook

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Xorad is using his art to educate others about schizophrenia and the hallucinations he experiences 👏

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Schizophrenia arises from many structurally diverse alleles of the complement component 4 (C4) genes, which are located in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class III region of chromosome 6. These structural deviations in the genes promoted varying levels of C4A and C4B expression, which is directly related to schizophrenia expression. Schizophrenia cases were analyzed for SNPs, showing the MHC locus as the strongest of more than 100 different genome associations. The C4A and C4B genes exhibited distinct relationships with schizophrenia risk, with increased risk associating most strongly with variation that increases expression of C4A.

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Scientists believe that changes in brain chemicals, such as neurotransmitters like dopamine and glutamate, may play a part in the development of schizophrenia. These changes have been showed to cause changes in brain structure.

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Women in their late twenties tend to not signs of schizophrenia. Although, it does slowly progress throughout time and is noticed more later in their life. For women it is a less noticeable change, but the signs show more when they are in their thirties.

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Schizophrenia's dopamine hypothesis states that an overactive dopamine system in the brain is responsible for the expression of schizoprenia. This hypothesis was proposed by Rossum in 1967, and states "When the hypothesis of dopamine blockade by neuroleptic agents can be further substantiated, it may have fargoing consequences for the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.” Dopamine overactivity can be presynaptic, which means it onsets psychosis or postsynaptic, meaning an increase in the density of D₂ receptors or an increase in postreceptor action. This causes more activity in receptors, and a higher presence of psychosis outbreaks due to the easier ability for dopamine to be read and translated through the receptors.

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Schizophrenia is associated with structural and functional changes in the prefrontal cortex, temporal lobes, and hippocampus. Structural deficiency, such as reduced gray matter volume and disrupted white matter integrity. These changes may be progressive during the pre-onset phase of the disorder, as well as in the early post-onset period. The affected brain regions are crucial for functions like cognition, perception, emotion regulation, and social interaction, which are often impaired in schizophrenia.

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Schizophrenia is about 90 percent heritable and affects about 1 percent of the population. There's no single gene that has been discovered to be responsible for schizophrenia. However, a strong risk of schizophrenia has been most commonly associated with the C4 gene. In many scientific studies, it has shown the most convincing evidence when it comes to forming the disease. These studies of the C4 gene have helped link specific gene versions to some biological processes that may be triggering the development of the disease.

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When looking at the physiological effects of schizophrenia you can see that those with obesity have a higher risk of being diagnosed with obesity than those who are not. It is shown that 40%-60% of people who are diagnosed with psychotic disorders are more likely to be overweight. Obesity can also impact physical health and mortality which will affect mental health and brain structure. Obesity can worsen symptoms of schizophrenia by disrupting white matter and reducing brain structural connectivity.

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Most people with schizophrenia suffer from delusions. This can cause them to think of things that are not real or true. For example, they could think that they are a famous person when they are not.

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Those who have schizophrenia may experience disorganized speech and thinking. Disorganized speech leads to disorganized thinking. When asking a schizophrenia patient a question, you may notice answers that have nothing to do with the question. Questions are also not always answered fully. Speech may consist of stringing words together in sentences that do not make sense.

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Hallucinations deal with seeing or hearing things that others cannot. Much like delusions, hallucinations can seem real to schizophrenics when in reality, they are not real. They can occur with any of the senses, but hearing voices is most common.

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An MRI Scan is a non-invasive procedure that uses radio waves and magnets to create pictures of the inside of the body. When diagnosing schizophrenia, an MRI Scan provides a view of the brain and how it is structured. It is useful for detecting and ruling out an abnormalities that may be causing schizophrenia like symptoms.

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Extremely disorganized or unusual motor behavior 

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Extremely disorganized or unusual motor behavior 

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Symptoms such as childlike silliness or becoming agitated for no reason may show in those diagnosed with schizophrenia. People with schizophrenia may not want to follow instructions. They may move in ways that are not typical or inappropriate to the social setting. Or they may not move much or respond at all.

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Antipsychotic medications treat schizophrenia by blocking dopamine reception in the brain, most oftenly the dopamine D2 receptors. Common antipsychotics are: Chlorpromazine, Fluphenazine, Haloperidol, Perphenazine, Thiothixene, and Trifluoperazine. This medication starts working a few hours-days after initially taken but usually takes 6 weeks to work at it's full effect and is distributed evenly throughout the patient's system. There are two types of antipsychotic medication, atypical (1st gen) and typical (2nd gen). The difference in effect is since the 2nd generation of medication is newer, it has reduced side effects and targets more actively in most. However, some consumers still prefer the 1st generation medication.

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Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a type of therapy that uses electrical stimulation of the brain under general anesthesia to treat symptoms of schizophrenia. This specific treatment is believed to alter brain chemistry and alleviate or reverse symptoms. During treatment, a doctor administers a controlled electrical current to induce a seizure for a brief period of time. The length of this treatment is 2-3 times per week for a period of a few weeks. ECT is an option for those who feel their medication is not working, or for those who are allergic, or cannot take medication for other reasons.

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Blood tests can help rule out other conditions with schizophrenia like symptoms. It look for chemical changes in bodily fluids that might explain changes in your behavior. They can rule out heavy metal toxicity or other causes of poisoning, infections and more. Depending on the results of the test, the Doctor will share this information with the family and discuss what they would like to do going forward.

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People diagnosed with schizophrenia have a higher risk of type 2 diabetes compared to the normal population. This is due to the traditional risk factors of type 2 diabetes that many patients with schizophrenia experience in the early course of their illness. This consists of a poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle. People with schizophrenia have a low socioeconomic status and income, which negatively affects their ability to make healthy lifestyle choices. Medications given to these patients also increase the risk of type 2 diabetes by affecting their insulin sensitivity, causing weight gain.

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Cognitive impairments impacts those with schizophrenia in a variety of ways. A major consequence of cognitive impairments of schizophrenia is that there is a lost of productivity. It mainly makes it difficult for them to stay focused, and makes it challenging to complete everyday tasks. This then leads to unemployment.

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Medicines are the primary source of treatment for schizophrenia patients. These antipsychotics control symptoms by mainly affecting the brain receptors. Without insurance, different medications, such as Risperiodine, can cost anywhere from $100-$1,000 a month. Most antipsychotics, however, are covered by insurance. If patients choose not to seek treatment, they are at risk for symptoms to worsen significantly. Long-term consequences of schizophrenia if someone does not choose to seek this treatment can include a decline in cognitive function, increased suicidal thoughts, potential worsening of psychotic symptoms, and social isolation.

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The average cost per patient monthly for a patient with schizophrenia is $1800. Patients with schizophrenia are also observed to have a lower percentage of overall coverage compared to average patients without the disorder. This is most often due to the fact that patients have to find a center on their own and enroll in inpatient therapy directly, instead of going through their hospital. Health insurance also varies with treatment coverage, for example some plans who only help the low income or some plans will not pay for treatment in facilities out of their insurance coverage. The long term problems surrounding this is debt, poor mental health regulation, and an increase of symptom expression.

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There is a large variety of therapy treatments a person with schizophrenia could take, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Assertive Community Treatment (ACT), Family Therapy, or medication. The average cost for a person who needs therapy for schizophrenia ranges from 1,200 to 1,400 dollars. The range for each session is between 100 to 350 dollars in Arizona. With Co-Pays it is around 30 to 50 dollars. Without insurance it is about 100 to 200 dollars. If a person does not get therapy for their schizophrenia, then the symptoms could worsen and lead to severe disruptions in their daily life.

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Social skills training helps those with schizophrenia to learn activities utilizing behavioral techniques, allowing schizophrenia and other mental disorders to develop disease management and independent living skills for improved daily function. When patients are provided with opportunities, encouragement, and reinforcement, it stimulates them to practice the skills in relevant situations. Social skills training helps to improve communication and social interactions. This training has been used to overcome cognitive deficits and negative symptoms, rehabilitation patients struggling with schizophrenia. Many mental health professions can deliver this treatment, including psychologists, special education teachers, and speech therapists.

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Social skill training improves an individuals social functioning and quality of life. This utilizes behavior therapy principles and techniques for teaching a person with Schizophrenia to communicate their emotions and meet their goals for independent living. Social skills training strengthens a person's social skill and competence. When the individual has accomplished their goal, they are able to deal with stressful life events and tasks of daily living. They become more proficient at tackling these tasks. The training stabilizes their illness, improves their adherence to medication and psychosocial treatment and promotes their progression towards recovery.

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Impairments of cognitive abilities have been seen in patients with schizophrenia. Cognitive remediation is effective in reducing cognitive deficits and in improving functional outcomes of the disorder. Cognitive remediation is a promising approach to improve real-world functioning in schizophrenia and should be considered a key strategy for early intervention in psychoses. Cognitive remediation is typically a treatment given by neuropsychologists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and rehabilitation teams.

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When starting medication for the first time, it is very typical that patients will feel poorly to the action of taking their medications. In order to get patients to feel less scared, professionals encourage explaining directly to the patient what the medicine will help them with. If they are able to acknowledge the positives of taking their meds, then they will be more motivated to take them. Providers should also discuss with them the details for if they want to get off medication in the future, so they are not overwhelmed and confused. For patients, it is vital that the provider establishes a trusting relationship, as with medication, mostly all of the side effects, changes, or the need to switch doses is a topic completely done in the patient's private life. With schizophrenia, it makes it difficult to stick to these schedules. Around 6-7 percent of patients believe their meds have done all they are needed, and want to quit them. As a patient, it is important to listen to your provider about dosages, quitting, and other issues with medication as they are educated in the topic, and with the patient's input, they can further give recommendations based off side effects and potency of the medicine. The type of professionals that would help, guide, and support this lifestyle changes are a psychiatrist, psychologist, and social worker.

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Diet has been known to correlate directly with schizophrenia. Schizophrenics tend to experience a poor diet, consisting of high sodium intake, high cholesterol, high saturated fats, lower fiber intake, and increased sugar intake. As of recent diet and mental health are linked towards one another. patients with psychiatric mental problems could have deficiencies inducing symptoms. Deficiencies of a number of nutrients, including vitamins (B1, B6, B9, B12) could be linked to the development of psychiatric symptoms or increased risk of developing mental health disorders in adulthood. Nutritional supplementation could be beneficial in the maintenance of a stronger mental state, or management of mental health disorders. Depending on the current mental state of a schizophrenia patient it might be difficult for them to engage in switching this certain part of their lifestyle. Although diet is an easier thing for people to be accustomed to I would say on a scale of 1-10 having a healthy diet with nutrition goals directed towards their needs would be a 6. This is because some people might not be in the right financial space to afford a balanced and nutritious diet. On the other hand, it is a small thing for them to change comparatively to other lifestyle changes. For this specific lifestyle change, a nutritionist would be the best professional to aid patients.

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Schizophrenia in children is the same as schizophrenia in adults, except for it begins at a much earlier age during childhood development. Childhood schizophrenia has a huge impact on the mental development and behavior of children, and can cause challenges during education, friendships, and daily tasks. Children with schizophrenia symptoms face difficulties in distinguishing symptoms from other conditions, and could cause a delayed diagnosis. Misdiagnosis is common because early schizophrenia symptoms may resemble other disorders like ADHD or autism. In some cases, a psychiatrist may recommend medication before making a diagnosis. This is important for symptoms of aggression or self-injury. Some medications may help limit these types of behavior.

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Substance abuse and schizophrenia have many similar symptoms, such as loss of touch with reality, hysteria, hallucinations, delusions, memory loss, trouble focusing, etc. Addiction can alter the brain's chemistry, cause damage, and can lead to schizophrenia. Patients who fall under the special population group of substance abuse usually start substances before experiencing psychosis. Many people with this were more likely to be daily cannabis users and had smoked cannabis for 5 years before their first mental break. Patients with schizophrenia have a higher rate of smoking tobacco before the onset of schizophrenia. People in this population are less likely to seek treatment due to the fact they are less likely to go in for help and would not be compliant with treatment. Antipsychotics also do not usually respond well to substance abuse in patients with schizophrenia. There have been studies that drug addiction can quickly escalate mental disorders.

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People with schizophrenia have a higher average stress level due to their perceptions of reality and hallucinations. It makes it extremely difficult for patients to control their daily living tasks, hold a stable job, and causes cardiac issues. These issues may arise at any time, as they are triggered by symptom arisal. Calming schizophrenic patients in time of an attack can immensely lower the risk of cardiac issues. Common ways to stress-manage as a schizophrenic patient is to help them slow their breathing by practicing taking deep breaths out of their diaphragm. Distracting also works in calming patients, but is not always effective. Although these activities are helpful in reducing stress in patients, they are not effective every time, especially in larger, more pronounced expressions. Patients with schizophrenia demonstrate an impaired ability to adapt to stress, showing decreased norepinephrine and adrenocorticotropin responses to stress. Interpersonal conflicts between patients and their parents, children, neighbors or extended family result in high levels of stress. Domestic environment is particularly stress-inducing in the early stages of the illness due to the recent shift in status and the resulting need to reconstruct interpersonal dynamics.

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Although schizophrenia is not a condition that is completely preventable, there are ways to lower the stress of this disease. If there was a public announcement or messaging system that could show the percentage of people who have schizophrenia it may alleviate some of the stress of knowing they are not alone. Knowing that they are not alone in their struggles can help them understand it is okay to feel the way they do. It's also beneficial to have a familiar community to support them. Studies have shown that having a reliable support system provides positive emotional feelings to the patient. Along with this, depression and illness are reduced with the help of social support. A lack of community has been shown to create aggressive behaviors in the patient, leading to further mental problems.

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transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)

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transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)

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Transcranial Direct current Stimulation (tDCS) is a treatment designed to help patients with schizophrenia with their hallucinations (auditory or visual), as well as prevent future hallucinations and symptoms. TDCS is a noninvasive brain stimulation technique, so it does not have many negative effects. The negative effects of tCDS are itching, burning, tingling, and other feelings related to the stimulation of the current providing an uncomfortable feel. Sometimes headaches can come from this. Symptoms do not last long, and are not chronic. Studies and tests show that tDCS appears to be safe in the short and medium term in patients. The effectiveness of tDCS varies between individuals, and it's important to consider factors like baseline symptom severity and the brain morphology. These factors influence treatment outcomes.

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A type of technology called virtual reality can be used with patients who have schizophrenia to see how they react in different environments. These technologies could be widely used for research purposes to investigate the mechanisms of abnormal rationality because they allow us to assess patients’ behavior in particular environments, to provoke symptoms if their trigger is known and to measure symptom severity. This can help patients create coping skills when put in environments that may be triggering to them , so when they are put in that same situation in real life they will be able to deal with it better. However, VR can cause negative effects in schizophrenic individuals, as frequent use of it may contribute to some adverse side effects including symptom deterioration, cyber sickness (includes nausea, vomiting, other side effects from VR use), addiction, delusions, manifestations, and some dissociative symptoms.

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A Public health intervention designed to reduce the prevalence or risk of schizophrenia is national anti-stigma initiatives, such as "Bring Change to Mind". These initiatives are designed to help bring attention to the challenges and hindrances that the mentally ill face, such as laws that discriminate against those with mental illness and care that does not address or treat them correctly at all. A challenge oftenly faced is a lack of financial support, as many of these initiatives are non-profit organizations. Another challenge they face are people who are not willing to change their mind, or listen to the organization to help change their biases. Implementing national anti-stigma initiatives for people with schizophrenia faces several challenges, including public stigma and discrimination. Stigma and discrimination can reduce hope, lower self-esteem, and increase psychiatric symptoms. National anti-stigma initiatives can also impact families. They may blame themselves, or fear that people will blame them for causing a loved one’s illness or reject the family socially. This can lead to reduced emotional support, and social isolation.

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Health Education and Nutritional + Lifestyle Interventions

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Health Education and Nutritional + Lifestyle Interventions

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Delivering health education and nutritional and lifestyle interventions may be effective as a low-risk prevention of schizophrenia. These strategies would be implemented best during childhood, as they may also help to prevent a broad range of other mental/cognitive disorders and bodily dysfunctions, such as heart disease or stroke. If successful, these interventions help improve many underlying pathophysiological pathways that feed into early life risk factors. However, the diffuse nature of these programs makes it hard to track the impact on the incidence of specific conditions, particularly over long periods required to determine the effects. These interventions may fail to effectively change behaviors in the context of wider structural problems that feed into poor health, such as socioeconomic disadvantages and urbanization.