Thinking and constructing a more or less elaborate discourse may seem simple, since it is something that is done continuously. However, it is a complex and laborious process that involves a large number of mental sub-processes and intermediate steps.

A large majority of the population manages to carry out these processes successfully and structure a coherent and cohesive internal discourse that is capable of expressing and transmitting to others through a rich and elaborate language.

However, there is a large number of people who are unable to establish a logical and understandable discourse. This occurs in cases where a psychological phenomenon known as alogia enters the picture. Why does this happen?

  • You may be interested in: “Anhedonia: the inability to feel pleasure”

What is alogia?

Alogia is an alteration of the form and content of thought and language in the form of impoverishment, impoverishment observable in oral discourse.

Although it is observed in language, the main alteration of people with alogia is at the level of thought . This is revealed as illogical and uncoordinated, slow and with severe difficulties for abstraction. It is complicated to develop and manage the different ideas, taking longer to respond to external stimulation.

Despite the large number of aspects it incorporates, alogia is not considered a disorder per se but a symptom of another pathology or alteration , as occurs for example with abulia.

Associated symptoms

The most visible symptoms are the presence of a diminished fluency of thought , an uninformative speech content and the reduction in the level of spontaneity.

The person with alogia presents a lack of fluency in speech , expressing himself through short communications and even through monosyllables. The speech stops being spontaneous and the person’s own attempts to communicate with the environment are reduced, being more reactive. When it occurs, communication tends to be very concrete, repetitive and with little content and information reflected in it.It is also frequent that blockages and interruptions appear both in speech and in thought, losing their direction. For this reason derailments usually take place, losses of the association between the different components from the speech.

Another relevant aspect is the difficulty to capture metaphors and symbolic language , so the person tends to understand and use only the literal meaning of the terms.

For all that it implies, alogia supposes a high level of alteration in the life of those who suffer it . Social interaction is made very difficult, leading to severe difficulties in family and social life. A great effect is also produced in the labour sphere, as well as in the rest of the individual’s vital areas.

Causes of alogia

Alogia is a symptom linked to logic, the ability to link thought, inhibit it and manage it consciously . The causes of this alteration are linked to a dysfunction in the synthesis of dopamine in specific areas of the brain, specifically in the mesocortical pathway. The regions that are part of this pathway do not receive enough of this substance, which causes both alogia and other negative symptoms.

Apart from this , it can also occur due to the presence of lesions in this pathway , in the connection of the frontal lobe with the basal ganglia or due to different types of damage in the temporal lobe, specifically in the area of Wernicke and in other areas linked to language.

Disorders in which it appears

Alogia or poverty of thought is especially visible in schizophrenia , presenting itself as a negative symptom. In fact, it is one of the main negative symptoms of this disorder. This implies that it implies a severe reduction of the basic capacities of the subject.

In addition to schizophrenia, alogia can occur in other types of disorders. For example, is common in people with dementia . It is also not uncommon to appear in other types of pathologies, especially when they have psychotic characteristics.

Finally, manifestations similar to alogia have sometimes been described as an adverse reaction to some medications or substances that reduce the level of dopamine in the brain. A classic example is the classic antipsychotics, which act by non-selectively reducing the level of dopamine. While this is useful in certain nerve pathways to reduce positive symptoms in others, it can make negative symptoms such as alogia more difficult and aggravated, and even generate them.

  • You may be interested in: “The 6 Types of Schizophrenia and Associated Characteristics”

Treatment

Treating these types of symptoms can be complex to achieve, but progress is nonetheless being made. As in many other cases, the way to treat a symptom such as alogia will largely depend on its aetiology (causes) .

Taking into account that it is especially linked to schizophrenia, at a pharmacological level atypical antipsychotics are usually used, which generate an increase in dopamine at a mesocortical level by acting as an antagonist to serotonin in different brain nuclei (which in turn inhibits dopamine synthesis, so an inhibitor would be inhibited).

The use of amphetamine derivatives also seems to generate positive results when the aspect to be treated is only the presence of alogia, although more research is needed in this regard. This consideration should not be taken into account in the case of schizophrenia, as increased activation could generate psychotic breaks and positive symptoms.

On a psychological level the use of different types of therapy is recommended according to the origin of these symptoms . Regardless of the specific programmes used, in general, psychosocial rehabilitation and psychoeducation are useful both for the individual and for the environment to have tools and guidelines for action. Training in social and problem-solving skills can also be helpful.

Bibliographic references:

  • American Psychiatric Association (2002). DSM-IV-TR. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Spanish edition. Barcelona: Masson. (Original in English, 2000).
  • Desai, N., Gangadhar, B.N., Pradhan, N. & Channabasavanna, S.M. (1984). Treatment of negative schizophrenia with d-amphetamine. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 141, 723-724.
  • Santos, J.L. (2012). Psychopathology. CEDE PIR Preparation Manual, 01. Madrid.