Schizophrenia question

[Poety]

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Hi all,

was wondering if OPD or SAzi can answer this:


Why is it that many schizophrenics where heavy jackets/layering in excessively hot weather? Especially those that are uncontrolled with meds. I've always wondered this, but no one has ever given me a straight answer.

TIA 🙂

Poety

 

[Psyclops]

Some wear everything they own every day. I know you aere asking about a physiological reason, but it's something to consider.

 

[PublicHealth]

Hi all,

was wondering if OPD or SAzi can answer this:


Why is it that many schizophrenics where heavy jackets/layering in excessively hot weather? Especially those that are uncontrolled with meds. I've always wondered this, but no one has ever given me a straight answer.

TIA 🙂

Poety

Where did you go to medical school that they did not show you how to search pubmed?

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/...uids=15469188&query_hl=13&itool=pubmed_docsum

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/...uids=14693598&query_hl=13&itool=pubmed_docsum

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/...uids=15133539&query_hl=13&itool=pubmed_docsum

 

[OldPsychDoc]

Hi all,

was wondering if OPD or SAzi can answer this:


Why is it that many schizophrenics where heavy jackets/layering in excessively hot weather? Especially those that are uncontrolled with meds. I've always wondered this, but no one has ever given me a straight answer.

TIA 🙂

Poety

It's a danged good question, and I had one attending who felt certain that it indicates that there's something dysregulated in the hypothalamus that we haven't "discovered" yet.

 

[MJD503]

In simple terms (I love simple), I have heard that it possibly relates to the lack of physical feeling or sensation that someone in the throes of Schizophrenia suffers from. No physical feeling because of over-stimulus due to auditory/visual hallucinations and general increased hyper brain activity. eh?

Pain feelings are basically non-exsistant as well. Which might explain why people carry around 50 pound bags all over the city or walk 300 miles with no shoes..etc -

Interesting question!

 

[Poety]

Thanks Psy, OPD and MJD 🙂 PH - get a life 🙄 you're getting worse and worse with your little nasty responses. There's something to say for EXPERIENCE aside of your excessive "searches"

Anyway, I found it interesting too, I've heard the theory about disregulation but wasn't at all aware of the low pain tolerance, thanks MJD! It does make sense though when you think of how psychotics have a much higher tolerance when compared to non-psychotics.

I was also curious as to whether they would have some kind of physiological response with hyperthermia, but from what I've seen, that has never been issue. I had one patient (during psych nursing) that would layer herself with 5 jackets. We had to sneak them away to wash them. She would go out, and chain smoke in her jackets, and even in 90 degree weather you'd never see her break a sweat.

Thanks for the responses!

 

[PublicHealth]

"Body temperature is regulated by the preoptic anterior hypothalamus with involvement of dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, and alpha-adrenergic receptors. Experimental data suggest that stimulation of 5-HT(2) and dopamine receptors can increase the body temperature. Additional clinical evidence indicates potent antagonists of 5-HT(2) are more likely to cause hypothermia."

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/...uids=15133539&query_hl=13&itool=pubmed_docsum

 

[Anasazi23]

It's not just about the meds either. True schizophrenics, as often as they may wear too much clothing, often wear too little. The 'fractured self' of schizophrenia often leads to misinterpretation of bodily sensations. This is frequently seen in the schizophrenic who is genuinelly sick with a painful illness, yet manifests it only in psychotic thinking/behavior.

 

[PublicHealth]

It's not just about the meds either. True schizophrenics, as often as they may wear too much clothing, often wear too little. The 'fractured self' of schizophrenia often leads to misinterpretation of bodily sensations. This is frequently seen in the schizophrenic who is genuinelly sick with a painful illness, yet manifests it only in psychotic thinking/behavior.

Come on, Sazi, enough of the "fractured self" psychology cop-out, give us the physiological explanation, dammit! Eliminative reductionists unite! 😱

 

[Psyclops]

I have to give it to ana for his fractured self explanation.

But the dysregulations associated with schizophrania is pervasive, this is evident in thier fluctuating skin conductivity and fluctuating pupil dilation.

 

[PublicHealth]

I have to give it to ana for his fractured self explanation.

But the dysregulations associated with schizophrania is pervasive, this is evident in thier fluctuating skin conductivity and fluctuating pupil dilation.

Dopamine screws everything up!

It's like those cases of schizophrenia in remission. Once you give them a D2 agonist, full-blown symptoms of schizophrenia are back. In a sense, dopamine serves as a "chokehold" on the the constellation of symptoms associated with this disorder, including the side effects.

 

[Poety]

It's not just about the meds either. True schizophrenics, as often as they may wear too much clothing, often wear too little. The 'fractured self' of schizophrenia often leads to misinterpretation of bodily sensations. This is frequently seen in the schizophrenic who is genuinelly sick with a painful illness, yet manifests it only in psychotic thinking/behavior.[/QUOTE]


This was one of the biggest take home lessons I learned on c/l - it seemed one of the schizophrenics we had admitted to inpatient had caught a pretty nasty case of the flu. He was admitted from outpatient when he checked in with his regular psych (one of the inpt docs as well) and she found his temp running in the 102's - her first clue she said on rounds was that he was decompensating and getting very psychotic - I never knew about this phenomenon until then.

I'm with you on the fractured self Saz.