Scizophrenia Etiology

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a tough and well known mental disorder that affects all different types of people. From the many symptoms, to the different treatments of this disorder and possible causes, schizophrenia is a complicated disorder that affects many.

Schizophrenia is a long-term disorder of breakdown of the relation between thought, emotion, behavior, psychosis, inappropriate actions or feelings, social withdraw, and delusion. Types of schizophrenia include brief psychotic disorder, and schizophreniform disorder. There are four categories of symptoms of schizophrenia that include positive symptoms, negative symptoms, cognitive symptoms, and psychomotor abnormalities. An example of positive symptoms would be hallucinations, while negative symptoms would be inability to express emotions or feel pleasure.

Based on the cumulative findings, it appears that both genetic and prenatal factors can give rise to constitutional vulnerability. Subsequent neuromaturational processes, especially those that occur during adolescence and exposure to stressful events can trigger the behavioral expression of this vulnerability. “Scientists have long known that schizophrenia runs in families. The illness occurs in 1 percent of the general population, but it occurs in 10 percent of people who have a first-degree relative with the disorder, such as a parent, brother, or sister. People who have second-degree relatives (aunts, uncles, grandparents, or cousins) with the disease also develop schizophrenia more often than the general population. The risk is highest for an identical twin of a person with schizophrenia. He or she has a 40 to 65 percent chance of developing the disorder,” (NIMH).

Because the causes of schizophrenia are still unknown, treatments focus on eliminating the symptoms of the disease. Treatments include antipsychotic medications and various psychosocial treatments. “Psychosocial treatments can help people with schizophrenia who are already...