Schizophrenia is a severe brain disorder resulting in a number of debilitating symptoms. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, schizophrenia affects around 1.1 percent of the general population. Several factors, such as genetics and environments, can exacerbate symptoms of schizophrenia, but the exact cause is still unknown. Researchers have found that levels of anandamide, a chemical compound manufactured by your brain, are elevated in schizophrenics. It appears that this compound is released by the brain in an attempt to control psychotic symptoms, although further research is still needed to confirm this effect.
About Anandamide
Anandamide is a cannabis-like compound and neurotransmitter, also referred to as N-arachidonoylethanolamide, or AEA. According to the Exploratorium, a museum of science, art, and human perception located in San Francisco, anandamide, a type of feel-good chemical that plays a role in signal transmission, is produced by your brain and is also found in substances like chocolate. Interestingly, researchers have found that people suffering from schizophrenia have higher levels of anandamide and have suggested that it functions as a sort of antipsychotic compound that your brain releases in an attempt to control psychotic symptoms.
Psychosis and Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia causes a number of problematic symptoms, which fall into positive, negative and cognitive categories. Positive symptoms are also considered psychotic symptoms, because they cause hallucinations, delusions and dysfunctional, maladaptive ways of thinking. Negative symptoms detract from your ability to function normally, such as decreased social skills and flat emotions. Cognitive symptoms include difficulty paying attention or problems with memory. Researchers have postulated that the brains of schizophrenics produce more anandamide in an attempt to regulate the positive, or psychotic, symptoms of schizophrenia.
Clinical Evidence
A study published in 2004 in the journal "Neuropsychopharmacology," the official journal of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, examined the levels of anandamide in cerebrospinal fluid of eight acute paranoid-type schizophrenic patients. The results found that anandamide levels were eight times higher in these patients than in healthy controls. The researchers also found that anandamide was negatively correlated with psychotic symptoms in unmedicated schizophrenics, concluding that anandamide may be an adaptive mechanism used by the brain to combat psychosis.
Considerations
This research suggests promising effects of anandamide treatment for schizophrenia as well as the need for new, improved antipsychotic medications that focus on the anandamide system. However, more studies are needed to fully evaluate the effects of ananamide on symptoms of schizophrenia. If you think you or someone you know may be schizophrenic, consult your doctor or a qualified mental health professional.
