The relevance of traumatic life events in schizophrenia spectrum disorders

• Published in: Ideggyógyászati szemle Vol. 67; no. 9-10; pp. 301 - 308
• Main Authors: Kocsis-Bogár, Krisztina, Perczel Forintos, Dóra
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hungary 30.09.2014
• Subjects: Adolescent; Amygdala - pathology; Amygdala - physiopathology; Brain - pathology; Brain - physiopathology; Child; Child Abuse - psychology; Child, Preschool; Cognition; Disasters; Dissociative Disorders; Executive Function; Hallucinations; Hippocampus - pathology; Hippocampus - physiopathology; Humans; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System - pathology; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System - physiopathology; Life Change Events; Organ Size; Pituitary-Adrenal System - pathology; Pituitary-Adrenal System - physiopathology; Prefrontal Cortex - pathology; Prefrontal Cortex - physiopathology; Psychotic Disorders - pathology; Psychotic Disorders - physiopathology; Psychotic Disorders - psychology; Schizophrenia - etiology; Schizophrenia - pathology; Schizophrenia - physiopathology; Schizophrenic Psychology; Self Report; Severity of Illness Index; Stress, Psychological - etiology; Stress, Psychological - psychology; Survivors - psychology
• ISSN: 0019-1442

The central goal of this manuscript was to review literature about the interconnections of traumatic life events and symptoms of schizophrenia spectrum of the last 15 years. First of all, the stress-diathesis model and the traumagenic neurodevelopmental model are shortly presented. Psychological effects of traumas and specific psychotic symptoms in connection with traumatic events are discussed. The course of the disease in patients affected by previous traumas and possible mediating factors are also addressed. Studies of both clinical and community samples are cited. It was also our aim to review literature about the neurobiological and neurocognitive processes in people affected by schizophrenia and/or traumatic life events. The role of prefrontal and medial temporal regions are explored with a special emphasis on contextual memory and hippocampal functioning. Finally, the possible effects of exploring traumatic life events on the treatment of schizophrenia are discussed.