About Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a debilitating neuropsychiatric disorder present in about 1% of the worlds population. Schizophrenia is characterized by the positive and negative symptoms patients experience. Positive symptoms include delusions, hallucinations, and disorganized thinking. Negative symptoms include anhedonia (the inability to feel pleasure), poor emotional response, and social withdraw. While the exact cause of the disease is unfortunately still unknown, but a variety of factors including genetics, chemical imbalances, environment, and substance abuse are all believe to be possible causes.
The Biochemistry of Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia, similar to depression, is a result of faulty neurotransmitters. Because of these faulty neurotransmitters, two systems within the brain become compromised and are unable to function at their proper levels. The dopaminergic system is responsible for transporting dopamine throughout the brain which plays a role in reward-seeking behaviors. In schizophrenia, dopamine is at increased levels within the brain, causing the positive symptoms. The glutamatergic system is responsible for transporting glutamate within the brain. Glutamate is key in synaptic functions like learning and memory and because it is at low levels in schizophrenic brains, it causes the negative symptoms.
Signs and Symptoms
- Schizophrenia usually develops in men during their late teens to early twenties and in women during their mid twenties to early thirties
- Young adults are less likely to have delusions and more likely to have visual hallucinations
- Disorganized thinking and speech
- Lacking emotion
- Withdrawal from friends and family
- Hostility or suspiciousness
- Deterioration in personal hygiene
Treatment
The approach to treating schizophrenia follows the saying "one size does not fit all." There are many different antipsychotics used to treat schizophrenia but the type and duration of the medication can vary among individuals. Therapy is also a treatment option. Social and personal skills are taught during therapy sessions with the hope that individuals will be able to return to their previous lifestyle.