Brain Disorders: The Causes Of Schizophrenia

The term ‘schizophrenia' covers a group of serious psychotic disorders characterised by a loss of contact with reality. It comes from two Greek words: schiz meaning ‘split' and phren meaning ‘mind'. DSM IV (1994) estimate that the occurrence rate of schizophrenia ranges from 0.2%-2.0% worldwide. There are two main explanations of schizophrenia: the biological explanations and the psychological explanations. In this essay I will critically consider the biological explanations. These include genetics, neurochemistry, brain structure and evolution.

Schizophrenia is characterized as a psychotic disease that dramatically affects one 's nervous system to a point of where every day basic functions can be inhibited. It is defined as the loss of contact with the external environment the person is in due to delusional thoughts and hallucinations. Perception and behavior of someone plagued with this disease is notably altered and their actions can become a concern of the people around them. Like many other diseases that affect the nervous system it is not curable at the current time but it can be treated to lessen the signs and symptoms of the disease.

Schizophrenia is a psychological disease with an unknown treatment. Its onset starts in early adult hood on average. There are many studies showing links to genetics and environmental causes. In this paper I will discuss many of the signs and symptoms of schizophrenia along with how it is diagnosed, imaged with MRI, and the difficulty in treating this disease. More treatments for schizophrenia may be revealed with the further advancement of imaging technology. Schizophrenia is a disease that affects the most complex structure in the human body, the human brain. The more research that is continued on the smaller segments of the different areas of the brain with imaging modalities the closer we get to

In this essay I will try to explain schizophrenia and talk about the main biological and psychological explanations, also showing how similar and different they are. Schizophrenia is defined in the oxford dictionary as 'a long-term mental disorder of a type involving a breakdown in the relation between thought, emotion, and behaviour, leading to faulty perception, inappropriate actions and feelings, withdrawal from reality and personal relationships into fantasy and delusion, and a sense of mental fragmentation. '1 schizophrenia has positive and negative symptoms, the positive being delusions, hallucinations and disordered thoughts whereas negative symptoms consist of expressionless faces, poverty of speech and lack of motivation.2 The

Schizophrenia is a disabling brain disorder that has affected many people over the years. This is not a common disease but it can be a serious and chronic one. Worldwide, about 1 percent of the population is diagnosed with schizophrenia and about 1.2 percent of Americans are diagnosed.

Mental health has been studied for centuries now. There have been fast differences major evolutional discoveries and changes since mental health has been researched and studied. Many theorists have been pioneers in their respective studies and laid the blueprint for what it is today. One of the interesting diagnosis’s during the early development is how Schizophrenia is a diagnosis that has been misunderstood over the centuries. The criteria that would determine one such a label, has shifted drastically. Although it has shifted and the information we have today is much more polished due to the amount of research and studies that have taken place, it’s important to learn and know the history behind how schizophrenia came to be and how it was coined to become such a noticeable and intricate part of diagnosis’s in psychology. Leading the way in the foundation and discovery of

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that affects the brain in many different ways. Schizophrenic people may be delusional, confused, agitated, and have a loss of personality. The word schizophrenia comes from the word skhizein meaning “to split”. Families of schizophrenics may be harmed and affected because anyone suffering from schizophrenia isn’t able to handle a job or care for anyone. Anyone with schizophrenia has to cope with the disorder for the rest of his life because treatment cannot fully demolish the disease. Neurotransmitters in schizophrenics don’t function properly. Till this day, there isn’t any test that can diagnose a person with schizophrenia. However, there are symptoms that can diagnose a person with schizophrenia, those

Some studies have also shown that 25% of population have recover by schizophrenia disease and other 25% have improved their disorder over 10-year period. The patient might affect with the schizophrenia on genetic and heredity (“About”). In addition, I would also like to say that Schizophrenia patient mostly face the challenge in distinguishing between the truth and false. Moreover, there may be side effects if the patient tries to medicate himself and these side effects include dizziness and skin rashes.

Biological theorists believe that individuals may have a genetic predisposition for the schizophrenia if a close family member has been diagnosed with the disorder. Stress during adolescent years seems to provoke the disorder among individuals who have a family history of the disorder. In addition, this theory suggests biochemical abnormalities related to the dopamine neurotransmitters may also contribute to the illness as the brains neurotransmission of the dopamine is too frequent in occurrence (Comer, 2005). CAT and MRI scans have also indicated that abnormal brain structuring may also play a role in the development of schizophrenia due to a common occurrence of enlarged ventricles within schizophrenia sufferers (Comer, 2005). Various parts of the brain may not develop for function properly which seems lead to Type II schizophrenia. Studies have also pointed towards the idea that exposure to certain viruses before birth may lead to the eventual development of schizophrenia (Comer, 2005).

When does the system go awry in schizophrenia? Unlike Parkinsonism or Huntington’s, both chronic and progressive diseases, increasing evidence points to a defective neurodevelopmental process. Brain imaging techniques have exposed a variety of structural abnormalities in persons suffering from schizophrenia, and Weinberger’s monozygotic twin studies suggest that the structural differences seen in the affected twin were likely the result of developmental defects and not genetics (Kandel). Brains of schizophrenics have shown enlarged lateral ventricles (Nasralleh, 1993) that are associated with prominent prodromal symptoms (Wright, Gill, and Murray, 1993; Randel). They also have exhibited enlarged third ventricles (Nasralleh, 1993; Wright, Gill, and Murray, 1993; Kandel), present at the onset of illness and associated with both obstetric complications (see below) and prodromal symptoms (Nasralleh, 1993). Also demonstrated were hypoplasia of medial/limbic temporal structures, especially the hippocampus, and again present at the onset

Schizophrenia is a very serious, long-term disorder that affects about 1% of the world’s population. It affects people anywhere from twenty years old, to forty-five years old. It is known to be one of the most disabling diseases in this age group. Schizophrenia can break down a person’s behaviors, emotions, and thoughts. People who suffer from schizophrenia usually show very inappropriate displays of their actions and feelings. Sufferers have been known to hear voices, even when there is nobody around them. They have problems controlling their thoughts, and sometimes blurt out things that are very inappropriate. This paper will outline the biological, social, and psychological

(Kalat, 2012). Bleuler used the term as a means of representing a major psychotic illness

Schizophrenia is not the same as having multiple or split personality. This misconception probably comes from the name’s Greek origin which translates to “the splitting of the mind” (Ashok et al). The term is describing a splitting of the mind from reality rather than the mind being split itself (Keefe 64). The National Institute of Mental Health describes schizophrenia as “a chronic and severe mental disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves” (NIMH, “Schizophrenia”). Some of the common symptoms of schizophrenia are hallucinations, delusions, and abnormal behavior which includes talking to one’s self or wandering (WHO). The symptoms of schizophrenia will leave a person unsure of what is real. Our reality is built on what we perceive and when your brain observes sounds or visions of what is not there, it is hard for a person to distinguish reality to what is created from schizophrenia. There are many

The causes, cures and intellectual comprehension in schizophrenia patients remains unknown. Scientists have discovered that schizophrenia is a severe condition that develops by a combination of biological, environmental, and unforeseen factors. Since this condition effects no more than two percent of the population, it is challenging to find an adequate sample size for assessments and further study. People suffering from schizophrenia are incapable of determining reality and show a wide array of symptoms varying from delusions, hallucinations, irrational conduct and disorganized speech. The complex severity of these symptoms make it difficult for scientists to find a remedy that works for all patients. Recent studies have shown that identical twins have an increased risk of developing the condition. The risk is increased by half in comparison to individuals who do not carry twin genetics. Many wonder if schizophrenia is caused by a physical abnormality inside the brain, but it has not been scientifically proven yet. Since twins are at the highest at risk for schizophrenia, it is essential to study the behaviors, patterns and recovery methods of these patients.

There are many causes to Schizophrenia. Many causes are genetics, brain chemistry and structure, and the environment of a human being. Genetically Schizophrenia can run through a family and can be passed on generations at a time. “Individuals with a first degree relative (parent or sibling) who has schizophrenia have a 10 percent chance of developing the disorder, as opposed to the 1 percent chance of the general population.” (Helpguide.org) Identical twins are a good example of this. “If an identical twin is diagnosed with Schizophrenia the other twin is 50 percent more likely to also be diagnosed with the mental disorder (psychcentral.com).” Brain chemistry and structure is another big factor in the cause of Schizophrenia. Neurotransmitters-