Schizophrenia occurs in one percent of American adults, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. It is a chronic brain disorder characterized by hallucinations, bizarre delusions and disorganized thinking and behavior.
Many years ago, psychiatrists believed that poor parenting caused schizophrenia through a process called the "double bind," in which a child became confused by his parents' contradictory spoken and unspoken signals to him, according to the Mental Help Website. However, scientists have made great progress in discovering the biological roots of schizophrenia, now characterized more accurately as a brain disorder, not an emotional illness.
Three areas of research interest represent the focal points of current understanding of the causes of schizophrenia: genetics, brain structure, and the environment.
Genetics
Recent research suggests that patients with schizophrenia have hundreds of rare genetic mutations, which may in turn lead to disruption of brain development, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
The level of genetic involvement in schizophrenia can be quantified by the level of risk family members of schizophrenics have for developing for the disease. It occurs in 10 percent of people who have a family member with the disease, which is 10 times more frequently than in the general public. Identical twins born to a person with schizophrenia are 40 to 65 times more likely to also be diagnosed with the disease, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. These findings suggest that genetic factors play a major role, but are not always the main causes of schizophrenia.
Brain Structures
The brain chemistry and structure of individuals with schizophrenia appear markedly different from that of normal individuals. Scientists have proposed that altered interactions among different areas of the brain may represent a central feature of the illness, according to Dr. Jason Tregellas in the February 2009 issue of the "American Journal of Psychiatry." These connectivity problems may result from abnormalities of white matter, an essential tissue structure of the brain. Some scientists believe that this reduction and abnormality of white matter may cause the cognitive impairments in schizophrenia.
Patients with schizophrenia also have an imbalance of chemical brain messengers, called neurotransmitters. The relevant neurotransmitters are serotonin and dopamine, chemicals important for mood, thinking and environmental response, according to the Mental Health America Website.
Environment
Scientists believe that an interaction between genes and environment causes schizophrenia. Although the "double bind" theory has been discredited due to lack of evidence, environmental stressors of some kind, such as exposure to viruses or contaminants, prenatal malnutrition or a problematic birth, may contribute to the onset of the illness, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
References
- National Institute of Mental Health: The Numbers Count -- Mental Disorders in America
- Mental Help: Historical and Contemporary Understandings of Schizophrenia
- "American Journal of Psychiatry"; Connecting Brain Structure and Function in Schizophrenia; J. Tregallas; Feb 2009
- Mental Health America: Fact Sheet -- Schizophrenia -- What You Need to Know
- National Institute of Mental Health: What Causes Schizophrenia?
