Kenny+Kim+-+Schizophrenia


 * 1) Was insulin shock therapy a viable clinical treatment?

Insulin shock therapy was not a viable clinical treatment as it had a high mortality rate, which was aorund 1-10%. The threat of a prolonged coma was always present thus it was not a very safe procedure. There was also various side effects, including depression, hair loss, vomiting, and fatigue. Even if the ICT was successful, it was usually on a 5 year remission rate.


 * 1) Was John Nash an unusual case, or do you think that many schizophrenic patients can be taught to function in society with without medication?

I think many schizophrenic patients can be taught sucessfully because John Nash often did not take his medications, however, he did have prolonged delusions. But I believe, with the proper care, and the training of distinguishing of reality and the metaphysical would help the other patients to slowly recover. Although this may not be for everyone, with the proper training, and therapy as well as care, as John Nash recieved throughout his battle with schizophrenia, many patients mig ht be able to function in society.


 * 1) What are the dangers and/or advantages of this type of treatment (re: insulin shock therapy)?

ICT was a very dangerous procedure, and even in the 60's was a procedure that was considered a last resort. It could bring forth depression, vomiting, hairloss and fatigue. The mortality rate could go up to 10% with prolonged coma percentages reaching higher. However a sucessful treatment could bring a faster recovery, but this was for a limited time (up to a 5 year remision).


 * 1) What is the difference between the treatment of schizophrenia in 1960-1970 and today?

Back in the days of 1960-70 and today is that there were no pills that could control symptoms without limiting the functions of the individual Dr. Nash experienced a decrease in intelligence and he felt general discomfort and not himself. Thus, ECT and ICT was practiced widely. Now, ICT is banned in most western oriented countries, although Russia and China do still use it occasionally. The medications of today are much safer, and controlled. They still do not cure the disease, but control the symptoms better than the medications of 1960. Improved forms of ECT is widely prescribed if the medications fail.


 * 1) What are the various types of schizophrenia? Which would you consider the worst case to have? The least worst? Explain why for each.

There are 5 subtypes of schizophrenia: paranoid, disorganized, catatonic, undifferentiated, and residual. The worst would be paranoid schizophrenia because you would go insane with all of the delusions and differentiating between what is real and what is not. John Nash was clearly troubled throughout his fight with schizophrenia dealing with auditory hallucinations, and with the added visual delusions, I believe that i would go mad, leading to possibly severe depression and suicide. It is worse than catatonic schizophrenia because at least you are aware that you are doing these things, just that there is a lack of the ability to control those actions. The least worst would be residual schizophrenia as it is basically schizophrenia in remission. It presents no detectable symptoms of any kind of schizophrenia and it is a recovered form of schizophrenia.


 * 1) What treatments are being pioneered today for schizophrenia?

Today, the leading treatment is prescribed antipsychotic drugs that surpress the level of dopamine, yet keep the side effects to a minimum. They are not at all perfect, but much better than the ones in the Nash era. ICT is banned in many western countries, and ECT is now widely prescribed in ICT's place. ECT has been improved, and mortality rates have gone down, with sucess rates going up. But still, no medication or treatment can funciton as a "cure" and patients are unfortunately becoming "therapy-resistant".