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Schizophrenia, a term introduced by Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler in 1911, describes a severe psychological disorder marked by profound disruptions in attention, thought processes, language, emotion, and interpersonal relationships. The core feature of schizophrenia is psychosis — a state characterized by a fundamental detachment from reality. This disconnection manifests through distorted logic, impaired perception, and atypical behavior, severely affecting the lives of those...
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Schizophrenia, a severe psychiatric disorder, arises from a complex interplay of biological factors, including genetic predisposition, structural brain abnormalities, neurotransmitter dysregulation, and developmental irregularities. These factors collectively contribute to the onset and progression of the disorder, which typically manifests in late adolescence or early adulthood.
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Decision Making01:20

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Decision-making is a fundamental cognitive process that involves evaluating alternatives and selecting among them. This process can range from simple choices, such as deciding what to wear, to complex decisions, like choosing a major in college or a career path. The complexity of the decision often dictates the approach we use, which can be broadly categorized into two types: automatic and controlled decision-making.
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Negative symptoms of schizophrenia indicate a reduction or absence of typical behaviors and emotional responses found in healthy individuals, while positive symptoms reflect an excess or distortion of normal functioning.
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Effort-Based Decision-Making in Schizophrenia.

Adam J Culbreth1, Erin K Moran2, Deanna M Barch1,2,3

  • 1Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in Saint Louis.

Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences
|April 3, 2018
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Individuals with schizophrenia show reduced willingness to exert effort for rewards, indicating aberrant effort-based decision-making. This deficit may contribute to motivational impairments and negative symptoms in psychosis.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psychiatry
  • Behavioral Economics

Background:

  • Motivational impairment is a core feature of schizophrenia.
  • The neurobiological underpinnings of these motivational deficits remain incompletely understood.
  • Emerging research points to effort-based decision-making as a potential mechanism.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the current literature on effort-based decision-making in schizophrenia.
  • To explore the relationship between these deficits and clinical symptoms.
  • To discuss potential underlying factors contributing to aberrant decision-making.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies examining effort-based decision-making in schizophrenia.
  • Analysis of correlations between decision-making deficits and negative symptoms/functioning.
  • Synthesis of findings to identify contributing factors.

Main Results:

  • Individuals with schizophrenia consistently demonstrate a reduced willingness to expend effort for rewards compared to healthy controls.
  • Effort-based decision-making deficits correlate with negative symptoms and functional outcomes in many, but not all, studies.
  • This points to a specific impairment in evaluating and acting upon effort-reward contingencies.

Conclusions:

  • Aberrant effort-based decision-making is a significant factor contributing to motivational impairments in schizophrenia.
  • Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for developing targeted interventions.
  • Further research is needed to elucidate the precise neurobiological and psychological factors involved.