Symptom Breakdown: Olfactory or Gustatory Hallucinations

Suggested Reading

Schizophrenia

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Gustatory and olfactory hallucinations are experiences of tastes or smells which are not consistent with reality. This includes tastes or smells which are spontaneous, and not attached to an object, or experiencing an existing scent or taste as a different scent or taste. These two forms of hallucination are classed together because olfaction, better known as your sense of smell, is a main component of taste and so the two senses are highly entangled.

Mini-Review: Morphology of Pyramidal Neurons in Schizophrenia

Recommended Reading

Mini-Review: Dendritic Spine Density

Background Information for Mini-Reviews

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In the previous mini-review we explored the differences in dendritic spine density of pyramidal neurons in the brains of people with schizophrenia compared to those without schizophrenia. Due to the severity of this dendritic spine deficiency it seemed unlikely that these pyramidal neurons were otherwise unaffected. Having explored this area of research further, it has become clear that not only do the pyramidal neurons of people with schizophrenia present with fewer spines than those without the illness, but these neurons also show deficiencies in soma size, dendrite length, and dendritic branching.

Mini Review: Dendritic Spine Density in the Prefrontal Cortex in Relation to Schizophrenia

Background Information

There is a lot of research which indicates that specific layers of pyramidal neurons are different in the brains of people with schizophrenia. In this post we’re going to be looking specifically at dendritic spine density in these populations, what this tells us about the overall functioning of these neurons, and the knock-on effects this can have on the conscious functioning of individuals.

Symptom Breakdown: Delusions of Reference in Schizophrenia

Delusions of Reference refer to situations wherein an individual experiences unimportant environmental information as personally important. This environmental information is commonly social information such as other people’s conversations, their emotional states, or laughter, and it is all interpreted as being directly related to, or targeted toward the individual.