BRAIN

Question 1 and Question 2

Question 1

The Brain Basis of Schizophrenia

Introduction

The disease related to the vital organ brain not only affects the normal human physiology but also the psychosocial parameters. Therefore, the researchers investigate the brain disorders such as schizophrenia at different levels to develop the most appropriate treatment for the disease. The effective treatment for schizophrenia is the combination of medication with cognitive remediation over the alone medication treatment. Dr. Hook at Harvard University approved the neuroplasticity-based cognitive training via employing the FMRI technique.

Discussion

Levels of Investigation Regarding Brain Basis of Schizophrenia

Four levels of the brain demonstrate the basis of schizophrenia. These levels include release of chemicals, a cellular level indicating the neuronal activity and level of brain structure. The forth level associated with the behaviour of the individual and the social behaviour is the functioning level of the brain. Changes occur at all these levels in case of schizophrenia. At the level of chemical release, there is decreased release of the neurotransmitter dopamine and its metabolites that greatly influences the social behaviour of the patient.

At the level of neurons, a cellular level, Thompson and his colleagues found the reduction in the grey matter of the brain. They approved the increased loss via scanning the brain of the individuals. The schizophrenic condition was gradually developing in the brain of these individuals. Thompson and his companions focused these patients for about five years and proposed the reduction of grey matter as the primary factor of schizophrenia (Thompson et al, 2001, pp. 11650-5). At the level of brain structure, the two regions of brain: temporal lobe and hippocampus are severely damaged, that may contain the lesions.

Johnstone and other analysts (1976) investigated the composition, shape and size of brain in schizophrenic patients. They found the size of the frontal and temporal lobes smaller than the normal (Johnstone et al, 1976, pp. 924-6). The behaviour of the individual is distorted as the patient has lost his ability of speaking, responding and concentration. Patient may suffer with the cognitive disorganization and sensory overload. Ultimately, there are generally the deficits of motivation and emotion in the patients of schizophrenia.

In social network the schizophrenic patient losses the ability to response to the environment. It seems like that the schizophrenic patients do not possess the natural skills to comprehend, function and communicate in the social world. In the past, an author Szasz (1974) did not consider schizopherania as disease but the label given by the social system. Only 20% of the patient can recover and move to normal life following treatment (Warner, 1994).

Level discussed in the Extract

The investigator has described the level of brain functioning via the individual behaviour in the extract in order to research and to treat the schizophrenic patients. Author found better outcome through the combined treatment of medication and cognititve therapy.

Aim

The aim of this study was to explore the effect of cognitive remediation and to investigate the activation of neuroplasticity as well as. To evaluate the significance concerning the models ...