26. Schizophrenia: Symptoms
In this module, mental health professionals observe a patient named Jerry, a classic schizophrenic. Jerry's case and medication schedule are described, and his disordered speech and behavior are shown. Prominent psychiatrists describe schizophrenia and the prognosis for those diagnosed with this disease; a locked psychiatric ward provides a graphic illustration.
27. Schizophrenia: Etiology
This module covers the history of attitudes, beliefs, and theories about the etiology of schizophrenia. While the illness was long thought to be environmentally caused, this module emphasizes the scientific evidence in support of its organic origins. Dr. Arnold Scheibel of UCLA Medical Center describes cellular pathology in the hippocampus and speculates on the possible role of viruses. A genetic component is also demonstrated.
29. Autism
This module opens with statistics and a description of autism and how the disorder has been viewed historically. Studies now support the theory that autism results from a lack of normal neural growth during prenatal development. Dr. Temple Grandin of Colorado State University, severely autistic as a child, is presented as someone who overcame her autism and managed to use her way of perceiving the world to her advantage.
31. Brain Transplants in Parkinson's Patients
This module covers the symptoms and mechanisms involved in Parkinson's disease. It explains the effectiveness and limitations of traditional treatment using L-dopa. The module then describes one of the most promising new approaches to treating Parkinson's disease — brain transplant — involving the implantation of tissue into patients' basal ganglia.
