The neurological damage or changes to the brain as a result of the illness
Schizophrenia is a brain disease, which disables its victim in a severe and chronic way. It is estimated that about 1% of the world’s population develops this disease in their lifetime. It occurs in both men and women without notable disparity although it appears earlier in men than in women. Affected people tend to experience sever and chronic damage to brain. They tend to hear internal voices speaking to them; however, those near them cannot hear these voices. It also affects their speech, which appears incomprehensible as well as frightening to listeners. A number of treatments have been recommended but this has done little to eradicate the disease. In fact, it is only estimated that just one out of five patients suffering from schizophrenia recovers fully (Brunet-Gouet & Decety, 2006, p. 75-92).
Studies conducted on schizophrenia patients have revealed possible defects in the structure of brain. For instance, it has been notated that the ventricles, also known as fluid cavities are usually enlarged. These cavities reside in the interior of an individual’s brain. In essence, notable imbalance of the complex systems is usually seen in the structure of brain. Moreover, it is usually common to find decreased size of some parts of the brain (Chou, Twamley & Swerdlow, 2012, p. 81-111). For instance, neuroimaging on patients suffering from schizophrenia have shown reduced metabolic activity in some parts of the brain. It is also important to note that microscopic studies on the tissues of brain have shown slight variations in the number of cells of the brain and their distribution patterns. Some scholars have also suggested the need to investigate brain development as a cause of schizophrenia. Biochemical changes in the brain have also been seen to precede symptoms of schizophrenia through studies conducted by neurobiologists (Keefe & Harvey, 2012, p. 11-37).
The behavioral or functional changes that can occur as a result of the illness
A number of behavioral changes are usually observed in people suffering from schizophrenia. These include distorted perception of reality, hallucinations and illusions, delusions, disordered thinking, emotional expression, and other abnormal behaviors. Distorted perceptions are usually observed in schizophrenia patients. They tend to perceive things that are different from those seen by normal people. They therefore feel frightened and confused as well as anxious (Hirsch & Weinberger, 2003, p. 481). This may include behaviors such as siting rigidly or seeming detached or distant. Hallucinations as well as illusions are other behavioral changes observed in schizophrenia patients. For instance, they tend to hear voices that only speak to them and not others around them. Moreover, some of them may experience it in sensory form where their ability to touch, taste or smell is also affected. Illusion is also possible in people affected by schizophrenia, they tend to interpret sensory stimulus incorrectly (Rector & Beck, 2012, P. 832-839).
Delusion is also another behavioral change possible in people affected by schizophrenia. In this regard, affected individuals tend to have weird personal beliefs that are only relevant to them. For instance, those who are paranoid tend to have delusions related to persecutions. It can also make other patients delusional about their neighbors or close family members. People suffering from schizophrenia also tend to have disordered thinking. This affects their capability to think straight since they get distracted easily. This makes it difficult for them to differentiate relevant things from irrelevant ones in a given situation. Moreover, it affects their ability to think logically and sequentially leading to disorganized thoughts. People who suffer from schizophrenia also tend to show lack of emotional expression. Schizophrenia affects their ability to express themselves emotionally. This may make them to appear apathetic. Behavioral changes are therefore numerous in people suffering from schizophrenia. However, the changes depend on the type of schizophrenia in an individual (Van Os & Kapur, 2009, P. 91-95).
References
Brunet-Gouet, E., & Decety, J. (2006). Social brain dysfunctions in schizophrenia: a review of neuroimaging studies. Psychiatry Res, 148 (2-3), 75-92.
Chou, H., Twamley, E., & Swerdlow, N. (2012). Towards medication-enhancement of Cognitive interventions in Schizophrenia. Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology, 213, 81-111.
Hirsch, S., & Weinberger D. (2003). Schizophrenia. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Keefe, R. & Harvey, P. (2012). Cognitive Impairment in Schizophrenia. Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology, 213, 11-37.
Rector, N., & Beck, A. (2012). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Schizophrenia: an Empirical Review. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 200 (10), 832-839.
Van Os, J., & Kapur, S. (2009). Schizophrenia. The Lancet, 335 (7610), 91-95.