Schizophrenia is a complex and multifaceted disease characterized by distorted thoughts, perceptions, and emotions. People often struggle with other comorbidities such as drug abuse, suicidal ideation, and neurovascular abnormalities.
Schizophrenia is defined by abnormalities in 1 or more of the following: delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking, disorganized motor behavior, and negative symptoms.
Overall, schizophrenia is an impairment in reality testing: individuals are unable to interpret the sources and meaning of different experiences. It is hypothesized that it is a disorder of disconnection within functional networks in the brain. There are three hypotheses related its development: the neurodevelopmental model, the excitation-inhibition imbalance model, and the dopamine hypothesis.
The neurodevelopmental model suggests that individuals have a predisposition for schizophrenia from birth. In addition, it arises due to deficits in dendritic spines that occur during development. With increased age comes increased dendritic pruning. Overly aggressive pruning may contribute to schizophrenia development. These deficits may be present since birth, but ultimately reach a threshold after which psychosis develops. Below this threshold, there is insufficient connectivity, leading to schizophrenia development.
The excitation-inhibition imbalance model posits that abnormalities in the balance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters can lead to altered neuronal activity patterns, resulting in cognitive and behavioral symptoms characteristic of schizophrenia.
Finally, the dopamine hypothesis has been the central hypothesis for many years since antipsychotic drugs block dopamine receptors, and drugs that stimulate dopamine release can cause schizophrenia.
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This article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
