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Research on the Causes of Schizophrenia
There are several factors known to cause schizophrenia. Among these are genetics, family environment, and substance abuse. The disorder is associated with delusions and hallucinations, which is a common feature of the disease. Other symptoms include incoherent speech and difficulties staying on topic.
Substance abuse causes schizophrenia
Although many people think substance abuse causes schizophrenia, the evidence for the hypothesis is mixed. Some studies suggest that a substance abuser is 50% more likely to develop schizophrenia than a non-addicted person. This increased risk is a result of the damaging effects that drugs have on the body. In addition to making schizophrenia symptoms worse, drug abuse interferes with existing treatments.
Substance abuse increases the risk of violence in people with schizophrenia. However, most violent crimes are not committed by people with this disorder. However, violence by those with schizophrenia may be a result of delusions of persecution, which are usually directed at family members. People who have schizophrenia are also more likely to attempt suicide than those without the illness.
People with schizophrenia often experience frequent psychotic episodes. These episodes can be brief or long-lasting. Many sufferers live normal lives in the interim periods between episodes. However, those who have repeated episodes of this disease are considered to have “chronic” schizophrenia, which requires long-term treatment, including medication.
Family environment
Several studies have found that the family environment can affect schizophrenia risk. For instance, identical twins are 50% more likely to develop schizophrenia than children with different genetic profiles. This finding suggests that the environment must have a strong influence on schizophrenia. In addition, a 40-year longitudinal study in Finland has shown that family environment can affect schizophrenia risk.
A family environment that fosters healthy development may protect children from developing schizophrenia. On the other hand, a family environment that’s dysfunctional can increase the risk for schizophrenia. A dysfunctional family environment can also lead to other mental health issues including substance abuse, alcoholism, and depression.
Although some research on the causes of schizophrenia strongly suggests that the environment is a major contributing factor, there are also genetic factors that contribute to the risk. Children from homes with a positive family environment are 86% less likely to develop schizophrenia than those from families with a negative family environment.
Genetics
Several recent studies suggest that schizophrenia has a genetic component. However, this explanation will likely be insufficient to fully explain the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. The reason is that most complex human traits are a complex combination of multiple genes, and explanations based on single genes are unlikely to account for the complexity of such traits. To better understand the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, we must look at the entire spectrum of genetic variation.
Genetic studies indicate that schizophrenia is highly heritable. The age of the father may play a role in the risk for schizophrenia. Fathers aged 50 and 54 years had the highest relative risk, compared to offspring of fathers aged 30 to 39 years. This suggests that the age of fathers increases the risk for schizophrenia.
Although the occurrence of schizophrenia in the general population is sporadic, the prevalence of the disorder is relatively low. Moreover, the disease is highly heritable, with approximately 90% heritability. Thus, it is likely that sporadic cases are more prevalent than familial cases.
Stress
Research has shown that stress can worsen symptoms of schizophrenia, especially for people with this condition. Even mild events can trigger episodes of psychosis, and can even lead to hospitalization. There are several ways to prevent or counteract the effects of stress. For example, one way is to cultivate positive relationships. Another way is to encourage physical activity.
Stress can damage brain cells. It can also alter the way we process emotions. For instance, physical, sexual, or emotional abuse during childhood can alter how the brain processes stimuli. Stress can also cause symptoms to develop in children who are born to mothers who suffered physical or sexual abuse. A high level of stress can also result in mood swings.
A recent study at the University of California found that high levels of stress can change the brain’s response to stress. Researchers have found that high levels of stress cause excessive levels of myelin, which disrupts normal processes and causes an overactive fight or flight response. Over time, this mode can become permanent.
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