Do People Inherit Schizophrenia

However, evidence seems to disprove this theory. In some instances, both identical twins are schizophrenics and other times only one is affected. To defend this theory, it should be noted that this research is complicated. Identical twins are relatively rare, especially twins who are both diagnosed with schizophrenia. Studies have also shown that children with one parent diagnosed with schizophrenia have a ten percent chance of suffering from schizophrenia. When both parents are schizophrenic, their risk raises to approximately forty percent. Little is known about the Environmental Theory. The theory is built mainly on the effects of stress on human behavior. Most researchers agree that stress alone cannot be the main cause of schizophrenia. Most researchers agree that stress could possibly trigger or worsen the symptoms when the illness is already present. Other researchers focus on drug abuse. Like stress, certain drugs such as amphetamines can make psychotic symptoms worse if a person already has schizophrenia. Furthermore, these drugs can, in a sense, create schizophrenia. Other researchers that support the Environmental Theory believe that "slow viruses" may be to blame. Slow viruses are viral infections that go undetected for long periods of time. Signs and symptoms are delayed and may occur many years after the first infection. The Bio-Chemical Theory suggests that schizophrenia is caused

Going more into genetics, family studies have shown that the disease can be inherited by family relatives depending on how closely related they are, this is shown by concordance rates in the book page 70 table 4.1. Kendler et al (1985)3 found that first degree relatives are eighteen times more at risk to develop schizophrenia than distant relatives. Twin studies have shown that DZ twins have a concordance rate of 12 % and MZ twins with 44 % to develop schizophrenia (mcguffin & farmer,1987). Gottesman and shields(1982) found using the maudsley twin register that 58% of MZ twins that were separated inherited the disorder. These rates show that

Instead, schizophrenia genetics leave some people susceptible to the illness, which is triggered by environmental factors.

Experts and scientist both agree that the main cause of schizophrenia is our genetics, while the environment in which one is subject to is suspected of being a minor or less likely cause. “Although genetics were thought to play a crucial role in the susceptibility to schizophrenia with a general heritability estimate of 80%, only about 10% of first-degree relatives of patients with schizophrenia developed schizophrenia…One of the major environmental factors is the abuse of drugs, such as MA and cannabis” (Huabing, 2014). People who have a family history of mental illness, depression, or anxiety, are at more of a risk to be diagnosed with forms of schizophrenia than someone who comes from a healthy back ground.

Schizophrenia is quite possible the most dreaded psychological disorder there is. It is also one of the most heavily researched (Myers, 477). Unfortunately there is no concrete evidence to point toward one simple cause. However, there are several factors that have been researched, and have been proven to increase vulnerability to this disorder. Genetic predisposition, brain abnormalities, prenatal and perinatal have been discussed as an array of contributing causes. There is no doubt that genetic predisposition enhances the probability of schizophrenia. A child who has a biological parent that has been diagnosed with schizophrenia has approximately a one in eight chance of developing this dreaded disorder (Berger, 407). Being a

This disorder only affects the brain and scientists have been unable to determine what causes it develop within a person’s brain. Experts believe that chemical imbalances in the brain combined with genetics and even the environment possibly are what causes Schizophrenia. Genetics has always been pointed out as a root cause for this disorder to develop because historically people that have family members that have already been diagnosed with the disorder are more likely to develop the disorder themselves. The risk for developing schizophrenia has always been higher in people who have a family history of this mind consuming disorder and other types of mental illnesses. The

2. A strong family history of mental disorders is considered as a highly probable cause of schizophrenia, while those who are much less genetically vulnerable are believed to catch the disorder through environment stressors during their lives.

It has been conclude, as a matter of fact, that genetics do play a major role in the cause of schizophrenia. For example, the probability of receiving schizophrenia as a result of being the child of two parents without the disease is 1%. If one parent has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, the probability of having schizophrenia as the offspring of this parent is 13%. The chance is 35% if both the parents of the child have been diagnosed with schizophrenia(Schizophrenia.com). This proves that biogenetics do indeed take part in schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia can arise from biological and environmental factors. Genetics are thought to play a role in the development of schizophrenia. It is currently unknown which genes are specifically involved in causing schizophrenia, but the it has been observed that the more genetically similar someone is to a person with schizophrenia, the more risk there is of developing it (King).

Studies have showed that schizophrenia is not a genetic disease, there isn’t one single gene that causes schizophrenia. (Hirvonen, J., & Hietala). There multiple risk factors that can cause schizophrenia in an individual. For example it can be an environmental or a genetic risk factor it can also be how they interact with others. (Hirvonen, J., & Hietala).

The greatest deciding factor on the development of schizophrenia is the genetic history of the patient. Although only 1% of the general population suffers from the disorder, those with a first-degree relative with Schizophrenia have a 10% chance to develop it, ten times the probability of someone without a relative with Schizophrenia. Those with an identical twin with the disorder have an even greater chance to develop Schizophrenia: 40-65%. Many companies offer DNA tests that advertise their ability to determine your probability of their customers developing Schizophrenia, but because of these frequent genetic mutations, the accuracy of these tests

Schizophrenia, as always known by scientists, runs in families and is hereditary. The disease as a whole only affects 1%

Schizophrenia can be passed down thru generations even though there is not a specific gene associated with the disorder. It is considered to be a combination of genes that make a person susceptible to becoming schizophrenic. This information is found mainly thought the study of twins. By having the same genes it can be viewed why genes contribute to the potential of schizophrenia. Even though genetics is a viable factor in the analysis of the cause of schizophrenia there are more supporting factors found in neurotransmitters.

One out of ten children of a schizophrenic parent will develop schizophrenia. The risk of 10% is greater then frequency of schizophrenia in the general population which is about 1% which would mean that schizophrenia is more likely to develop is some families than others most children of schizophrenic parents are completely normal. The most interesting investigation that is still going on that remains a mystery of schizophrenia is that genes alone do not explain who gets ill. Example of this is twins as all there genes are in common but if one of the identical twins has schizophrenia the other twin has the highest risk of developing schizophrenia. About 40% of twins of a schizophrenic live completely normal lives without disease.

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-