Environmental Causes Of Schizophrenia Essay

Genetics can cause differences in brain chemistry and biochemistry may be important in the development and maintenance of schizophrenia. The dopamine

Not every person with schizophrenia will have all symptoms, and the symptoms of schizophrenia may change over time.” (Schizophrenia: Sings, Types & Causes, Authors: Melinda Smith, M.A., and Jeanne Segal, Ph. D., Last Update February 2014, http://www.helpguide.org/mental/schizophrenia_symptom.htm) It is believed that no one single gene causes schizophrenia it is said that more than one gene is the cause of increased risk of schizophrenia there is a greater risk of a child developing it. There is more to this story than genetics; some type of early childhood trauma may play a role in schizophrenia. (The Causes of Schizophrenia http://www.nami.org/content/navigationmenu/mental_illnesses) The onset of schizophrenia occurs between the age of 15 and 45 in males, it is more common in males than females. There is talk from researchers about children with schizophrenia also having other mental disorders which include ADHD, ADD and bipolar disorder. Although there is not a tremendous amount of research they also believe that most children have had someone in their family who has been in a psychiatric hospital at some point and a family history of schizophrenia and some type of trauma. There is also a high number of suicide attempts in children with schizophrenia, there is also research to show that there is an increase of odds of schizophrenia in African Americans and Hispanic youth, however it is also very easy to misdiagnose these

Erlenmeyer-Kimling also noted that environment and early developmental damage could play a role in the onset on schizophrenia. This disease may have a series of triggers that could bring on the onset of the disease. These triggers could include complications during pregnancy and/or labor, prenatal exposure to a virus (especially in the fifth month when brain development occurs), and stress throughout the stages of life. (Dincin 103)

(Do People Inherit Schizophrenia?) Research shows that the disease is not caused by a single gene but has to do with several different ones. People with the disease also have higher rates of extremely rare genetic mutations that may occur when a specific gene that produces important brain chemicals malfunctions. However, it is not yet possible to use genetic information to predict whether a person will develop schizophrenia or not.

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

Environmental factors are crucial to the development of schizophrenia. A traumatic experience in early childhood can cause schizophrenia in the future for example sexual or physical abuse. It carries over to adulthood. According to some studies, the age of the father contributes to the risk of schizophrenia. The older the father the greater the risk because of the “genetic mutation in the sperm that can be passed on.” (Berkshire Health System, 2014)

Scientists believe genetics can pose the greater risk for getting Schizophrenia. Here are a few risk factors:

It has been long understood that schizophrenia runs in families. People who have a close rela-tive with schizophrenia are more likely to develop the disorder than are people who have no relatives with the illness. A child whose parent has schizophrenia has about a 10 percent chance of developing schizophrenia themselves. Identical twins carry the same genes. In iden-tical twins, if one twin develops schizophrenia, the other twin has one in two chance of de-veloping it too even if they are raised separately. People who have second degree relative,

Most research that has been conducted has shown that this is an illness that is usually inherited. Someone that has a relative that has schizophrenia that they are closely related to has a greater chance to inherit it than someone who does not have any relatives with the illness. Idententical twins have also been studied and found that “an identical twin of a person with schizophrenia has the highest risk 40 to 50 percent of developing illness. A child whose parent has schizophrenia has about a 10 percent chance” (Mentalhealth.com, Leonard Holmes). This all connects to the biological aspect of having this disorder but other issues that have been connected to people with schizophrenia are prenatal complications. A study by Thomas F. McNeil and Elizabeth Cantor-Graae, was done to analyze the

Scientist who study Schizophrenia have not clearly defined the core causes of this disease however it is thought to have a strong correlation to genetics of, chemistry in , and the environment surrounding the patient. Among the scientists, researchers, and doctors who deal with schizophrenic patients, it is common knowledge that the gene pool is a palpable source for the

Environmental factors in schizophrenia play a large role in the development of schizophrenia for everyone already genetically at risk; but for males the risk is larger because during late childhood shrinking in synaptic mass increases the influence of negative factors from the environment more so than women. Cannabis is considered an environmental risk for some due to the psychoactive effects associated with its consumption. Substance abuse is mostly a male issue, and generally thought of as a way for schizophrenics to cope.

Dr. Nora Volkow, a Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse at the National Institutes of Health, doesn't believe the use of marijuana causes a person to develop schizophrenia, but believes it can cause psychotic systems. Dr. Volkow believes

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.

Over the past 50 years, scientists have studied the plant Cannabis Sativa. After research, they believe cannabis can lead to schizophrenia. Some may think that cannabis is a causal agent, and others think cannabis is a trigger. Cannabis helps to increases natural levels of dopamine in the body. A natural level of dopamine in the body is regular. However, when too much dopamine is produced then a disorder is brought about. This disorder is called schizophrenia. Therefore, this is why scientists do believe cannabis “causes” schizophrenia.

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-