Schizophrenia From a Neurocognitive Perspective: Probing the Impenetrable Darkness (original) (raw)
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Schizophrenia: A Disturbance of the Thematic Field (Gurwitsch) (2004)
ABSTRACT: This chapter explores the relevancy of Aron Gurwitsch’s phenomenological analysis of the field of consciousness—in particular his distinction between theme, thematic field, and margin of awareness—for understanding certain abnormalities of consciousness and cognition in schizophrenia. Alterations in the organization of the field of consciousness have long been recognized as a key feature of the schizophrenic condition. It has been difficult, however, to specify these aberrations very precisely, or to capture the nature of schizophrenic abnormalities in contrast with vaguely analogous abnormalities that are found in mania, dementia, and various neurological conditions. Traditional theories of attentional dysfunction have been found to be inadequate. I argue that (A) the distinctively schizophrenic alterations of perception, thought, and language demonstrated in recent research pertain especially to what Gurwitsch calls the “thematic field” and (B) disturbances involving the margin or the theme may best be viewed as secondary consequences of this disturbance of the thematic field. I discuss a number of abnormalities of schizophrenic cognition, including perplexity, dissemination (proliferation of meanings), fragmentation, perspectival slippage, and certain quasi-surrealistic ways of experiencing what is familiar or strange.
The core gestalt of schizophrenia
The recent debate in World Psychiatry on prototypes versus operational criteria (1) invites a prototypical reassessment of the clinical-phenomenological presentation of schizophrenia, especially in the light of recent developments in phenomenological psychopathology (2).
2023
Today is the world of scientific and technological innovations in the field of medical science. Schizophrenia is a difficult ailment to treat. The author is suffering from schizophrenia for the last 30 years. Today since 2012 he is suffering from eye ailment and has glaucoma in his both eyes. The author lucidly and with cogent insight describes the agony and pain he experienced in the last 30 years. Today is the world of Fifth Industrial Revolution and application of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The vast world of the science of schizophrenia ailment needs to be reenvisioned and reframed as regards treatment and cure. Human sufferings and travails, trials and tribulations are immense for a mental patient suffering with this irrecoverable and monstrous ailment. Surely a new dawn in human civilization, man and mankind will emerge if doctors and medical health professionals takes active and positive steps in scientific research endeavor in the field of schizophrenia. The author deeply discusses these issues in this article. Science has advanced a lot since 1993 when the author was diagnosed with schizophrenia. The author deeply contemplates the need of psychology and psychiatry in the path towards a patient's illness, treatment and revival.
Schizophrenia is multifactorial disease (caused by both genetic and environmental factors) that has two faces: positive and negative symptoms. Cognitive impairment is the core of both positive and negative symptoms. Cognitive therapy and cognitive training might be very helpful for schizophrenic individuals along with physical exercise and healthy balanced diet (with multivitamin and trace elements supplements if not ingested in sufficient amount with food). Cognitive improvement might relieve both positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. It is emphasized in the literature that in patients with negative symptoms it is very important to create enriched environment with enough stimuli to prevent further cognitive decline. For example, social therapy, work therapy, art therapy (music, painting, photography…).
2000
diagnosis and comorbidity (including a chapter on presentations of OCD with schizophrenia). The extensive discussion of clinical management may focus too much for some readers on pharmacological treatments, with an exhaustive list of as yet unproven augmentation strategies for use with serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs). Candidates discussed include buspirone, clonazepam, lithium, L-tryptophan and parenteral clomipramine.
More Than One Century of Schizophrenia
The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 2012
Schizophrenia is a very complex psychiatric disorder of unknown etiology, and there is controversy as to whether its name is even appropriate to describe the associated variety of clinical presentations and symptoms. Currently, the diagnosis is essentially based on clinical criteria. These enable a clinical profile to be recognized as encompassing positive symptoms, negative symptoms, disorganization of thinking and behavior, cognitive impairment, mood abnormalities, motor abnormalities, chronic clinical course, and incomplete remissions. The concept has evolved during the past century, and schizophrenia is currently questioned as a single disease entity. Established diagnostic criteria do not mirror the heterogeneity of the disorder. A strategy to deal with clinical heterogeneity in schizophrenia is, perhaps, the adoption of a classification system based on dimensions and stages. An additional strategy to deal with etiological and pathophysiological heterogeneity is to try to identify biomarkers, namely, on the basis of intermediate phenotypes.
The neuropsychology of schizophrenia: Act 3
Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 1993
Alternative theoretical frameworks for psychology. In: Against cognitivism. ed. A. Still & A. Costall. Harvester. [BS] (in press) Are connectionist models cognitive? Philosophical Psychology. [BS] Shevrin, H. (1990) Unconscious mental states do have an aspectual shape. Behavioral and Brain Sciences 13:585-642. [KL] Treisman, A. (1986) Features and objects in visual processing. Scientific American (Nov.
Theory & Psychology, 2012
This work presents affinities existing between the phenomenological view of schizophrenia and recent cognitive research on this disorder. We postulate that the core abnormality in schizophrenia is a particular kind of disturbance of the sense of self, which has two main aspects, an enhanced sense of awareness or hyperreflexivity, and diminished self-affection. Noticeable parallels are shown between "hyperreflexivity" and some cognitive models and research that concentrate on attentional processes in schizophrenia patients. It is also argued that "diminished self-affection" may be related to certain factors recently dealt with in cognitive research, such as "beliefs about superstition and responsibility related to one's own thoughts" and "dissociation." Furthermore, certain points which, in our opinion, could be of mutual enrichment to both viewpoints are briefly analyzed. Finally, several limitations and problems that such mutual sharing may have are also described, and some possible lines of future research are suggested.
Louis Sass and Rupert Read on Schizophrenia - Part Two.
Sass, like R. D. Laing before him, wants to make sense of schizophrenic discourse. In 'Paradoxes of delusion – Wittgenstein, Schreber and the schizophrenic mind' he uses Wittgenstein’s later work, particularly the Blue Book, to this end. Read criticises Sass for not taking Wittgenstein’s nonsensicalism seriously enough and suggests that some schizophrenic utterances cannot be understood at all. I argue that Sass’s position is more consistent than Read’s, though it is probably true that Sass is the less thoroughgoing Wittgensteinian. Read’s way of arguing his case exhibits all the difficulties that those who employ the notion of philosophical nonsense are apt to get themselves into. The denigratory vocabulary he uses to characterise schizophrenic discourse – ‘confused’, ‘inchoate’, ‘incoherent’, ‘empty’, ‘without content’ – is itself confused and confusing, but, more importantly, his talk of ‘transitional remarks’ and his admission that he is himself ‘trafficking in nonsense’ suggest that he is falling into the very error of which he accuses Sass.