Cognitive approach to James Cole's schizophrenia.

Cognitive approach;

Three key assumptions of the Cognitive approach:
- That behaviour can be largely explained in terms of how the mind operates.
-That the mind works in a manner that is similar to a computer; inputting, storing and retrieving data.
-That psychology is a science; based mainly on lab experiments.

The Cognitive approach to James Cole's schizophrenia:
- the mind works similar to a computer; James Cole is good at observing and remembering- his mind stores information.
- James has a programmed delusional schema, which is used to protect himself from reality.

Prognosis; He will begin to get worse, as his delusions are being encouraged, and the environment he's in is not going to help him.

Therapeutics:
-Change his environment.
-Give him a way to help break out of his delusions.

Psychology task; Neurophysiology

The neurons in the highest part of the brain are the most sophisticated; they are capable of making the most connections and carrying the signals down the brain quicker than all of the others. Neurons are simpler signals which transfer information slower. (Information transfer is also done by hormones.)

When the action potential (difference in voltage) is large enough, neurotransmitters (E.g. dopamine, serotonin and GABA) are released into the synapses; if enough neurotransmitters are released, they will bind to the receptor sites in the closest axon terminal. Once the neurotransmitters have been released into the synapses, and the action potential has faded, the transmitting axon terminal begins to absorb the neurotransmitter from the synapse. This process of recycling is called Re-uptake; however, too much re-up take stops neurotransmission.

The Dopamine Hypothesis; In a nut shell, the hypothesis is that too much Dopamine causes positive symptoms of schizophrenia, and that not enough Dopamine causes negative symptoms of schizophrenia.