Mysticism and schizophrenia:A phenomenological exploration of the structure of consciousness in the schizophrenia spectrum disorders

AbstractMysticism and schizophrenia are different categories of human existence and experience. Nonetheless, they exhibit important phenomenological affinities, which, however, remain largely unaddressed. In this study, we explore structural analogies between key features of mysticism and major clinical-phenomenological aspects of the schizophrenia spectrum disorders—i.e. attitudes, the nature of experience, and the ‘other’, mystical or psychotic reality. Not only do these features gravitate around the issue of the basic dimensions of consciousness, they crucially seem to implicate and presuppose a specific alteration of the very structure of consciousness. This finding has bearings for the understanding of consciousness and its psychopathological distortions

Self-disorders and schizophrenia:A phenomenological reappraisal of poor insight and non-compliance

Poor insight into illness is considered the primary cause of treatment noncompliance in schizophrenia. In this article, we critically discuss the predominant conceptual accounts of poor insight, which consider it as an ineffective self-reflection, caused either by psychological defenses or impaired metacognition. We argue that these accounts are at odds with the phenomenology of schizophrenia, and we propose a novel account of poor insight. We suggest that the reason why schizophrenia patients have no or only partial insight and consequently do not comply with treatment is rooted in the nature of their anomalous self-experiences (ie, self- disorders) and the related articulation of their psychotic symptoms. We argue that self-disorders destabilize the patients’ experiential framework, thereby weakening their basic sense of reality (natural attitude) and enabling another sense of reality (solipsistic attitude) to emerge and coexist. This coexistence of attitudes, which Bleuler termed “double bookkeeping,” is, in our view, central to understanding what poor insight in schizophrenia really is. We suggest that our phenomenologically informed account of poor insight may have important implications for early intervention, psychoeducation, and psychotherapy for schizophrenia

Clinical manifestations of self-disorders and the Gestalt of schizophrenia

Anomalies of self-experience (self-disorders) constitute crucial phenotypes of the schizophrenia spectrum. The following qualitative study demonstrates a variety of these core experiential anomalies. From a sample of 36 first-admitted patients, all of whom underwent a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation, including the EASE scale (Examination of Anomalous Self-Experience), 2 schizophrenia patients were selected for detailed psychopathological presentation and discussion. The vignettes provide prototypical examples of what has been termed self-disorders in schizophrenia, ie, pervasive and enduring (mainly) trait phenomena which constitute essential aspects of the spectrum

Schizophrenia and Bipolar Illness in the Relatives of University Scientists: An Epidemiological Report on the Creativity-Psychopathology Relationship

A potential link between creativity and mental illness has been a longstanding topic for human studies and empirical research. The major problem is defining creativity and establishing its measurable indicators. A few high-quality epidemiological studies have been undertaken and point to a link between creativity and vulnerability to mental illness. Demonstrating such a shared vulnerability could expand our understanding of mental illnesses and open up new avenues of empirical research. In this epidemiological study, we defined scientists (academics) at the universities as individuals assumed to exhibit “more creativity” than the background population. In a register coupling with a population of 588,532 people, we examined successful university academics' first- and second-degree relatives for diagnosed mental disorders and compared those figures with controls from the background population controlling for educational level. The relatives of the academics had significantly increased risk of suffering from schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. For bipolar disorder, it is perhaps temperamental features and high energy levels that contribute to this association. In the case of schizophrenia, the mediating bridge may involve an amplification of human tendency to question the obvious and “taken-for-granted.” Creativity and an increased risk for mental disorders seem to be linked by a shared vulnerability that is not manifested by clinical mental disorders in the academics

Минеральные микровключения в глауконитах Бакчарского месторождения (Томская область)

За счет своих уникальных свойств глауконит является ценным источником геологической информации. Как активный природный сорбент глауконит способен накапливать элементы в обстановке седиментации, которые впоследствии образуют новые минеральные фазы внутри глауконитовых гранул. Актуальность исследования определяется возможностью познания процессов осадкообразования на основе и посредством изучения созданного ими вещества в пределах Бакчарского месторождения. Цель работы: изучение ультрадисперсных минеральных включений в глауконитах Бакчарского месторождения для характеристики минерального субстрата, поступающего в бассейн седиментации. Методы исследования: разделение проб на гранулометрические классы размером более 1 мм, 1…0,5, 0,5…0,2, 0,2…0,1, менее 0,1 мм методом «мокрого» ситования; электромагнитная сепарация (ЭВС 10/5) при силе тока 4…2 А; дочистка минеральных монофракций глауконита из магнитной фракции под бинокуляром; изготовление полированных шашек; сканирующая электронная микроскопия на оборудовании TESCAN VEGA 3 SBU с энергодисперсионной приставкой OXFORD X-Max50 для рентгеноспектрального анализа. В результате проведенных исследований в глауконитах Бакчарского месторождения были обнаружены микроскопические включения золота, серебра и некоторых других минералов (фосфатов, сульфидов, сульфатов, оксидов и силикатов). Минеральные ассоциации микровключений указывают на наличие в среде осадкообразования благородных, цветных и редких металлов. Предполагается, что глауконит как активный природный сорбент «загружался» металлами и терригенными ультрадисперсными компонентами на фоне сероводородного заражения осадка микроорганизмами. Эти условия способствовали образованию новых минеральных фаз сульфидов, сульфатов и золота. Полученные данные являются признаком потенциальной золотоносности глауконитовых пород Бакчарского месторождения.Due to its unique properties glauconite is a prospective geological information source. Glauconite is an active natural sorbent. It can accumulate elements in the environment of sedimentation, which subsequently form a new mineral phase within the granules of glauconite. The relevance of the study is determined by the possibility of awareness of sedimentation on the basis and through the study of the matter created by them within the Bakchar deposit. The main aim of the research is to study the mineral microinclusions in glauconite of Bakchar deposit to describe the mineral substrate coming into sedimentation basin. The methods used in the study: samples sieving into granulometric classes with the size more than 1mm, 1…0,5, 0,5…0,2, 0,2…0,1, less than 0,1 mm; electromagnetic separation (EVS 10/5) at 4…2 A; additional cleaning of glauconite grains from magnetic fraction under a binocular microscope; pressed pellet production; scanning electron microscope (TESCAN VEGA 3 SBU) with energy dispersive attachment OXFORD X-Max50 for X-ray spectroscopic analysis. With the help of electron microscopy, microinclusions of gold, silver and other minerals (phosphates, sulfides, sulfates, oxides, and silicates) were found in the glauconites of Bakchar deposit. Mineral associations of microinclusions indicate the occurrence of precious, non-ferrous and rare metals in the sedimentation environment. It is assumed that glauconite as an active natural sorbent «was loaded» by metals and ultrafine terrigenous components on the background of hydrogen sulfide contamination of sediment with microorganisms. These conditions were favorable for forming new mineral phases of sulfides, sulfates and gold. The findings are a sign of potential gold mineralization of glauconite rocks of Bakchar deposit