Essay about Schizophrenia - 726 Words

Schizophrenia It is a frightening disorder that strikes about one percent of the world population. It surfaces most frequently during puberty and has the potential to forever destroy the lives of the people who are unfortunate enough to be its victim. The disorder is schizophrenia and it manifests itself by disturbing normal psychiatric behavior. The symptoms of schizophrenia are characterized by both positive and negative symptoms. Positive symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, and other unusual or disorganized behavior. Unresponsiveness, lack of activity, and loss of interest characterize negative symptoms. Though it is possible for doctors to diagnose and treat patients with schizophrenia, the causes of schizophrenia are†¦show more content†¦(4) Perhaps what is most convincing, though, are the recent links made between schizophrenia and chemical imbalances in the brain. There are four main hypotheses that support the theory that biological chemistry is responsible for causing schizophrenia. The first is named the Membrane Hypothesis. Observations of persons suffering from schizophrenia suggest that a defect or impairment in nerve cell membranes could affect how neurotransmitter receptors send messages across the nerve synapses. Also, there is evidence of decreased enzymes and fatty acids among schizophrenics. (2) A second hypothesis is the Single-Carbon Hypothesis. This theory explains that the single-carbon folate serves as a metabolic pathway for several reactions in the brain. One of these reactions is the synthesis of methionine. It has been found that methionine metabolism is defective in many sufferers of schizophrenia. This suggests that folate is somehow related to the disorder, though exact relationship remains unknown. (2) The NDMA Receptor Hypothesis is another suspect in the search for the cause of schizophrenia. According to research, it is possible that NDMA receptor dysfunction may induce schizophrenic symptoms due to the fact that NDMA receptors operate with glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter. Drugs that affect NDMA receptors, such as ketamine and phencyclidine, have been found to produce hallucinations. Also, neuroleptic drugs like clozapoine haveShow MoreRelatedSchizophrenia And Its Effects On Schizophrenia815 Words   |  4 Pagesand has schizophrenia. According to Mayo Clinic â€Å"Schizophrenia is a severe brain disorder in which people interpret reality abnormally. Schizophrenia may result in some combination of hallucinations, delusions, and extremely disordered thinking and behavior. Contrary to popular belief, schizophrenia is not a split personality or multiple personality. The word schizophrenia does mean split mind, but it refers to a disruption of the usual balance of emotio ns and thinking. Schizophrenia is a chronicRead MoreSchizophrenia And Its Effects On The Development Of Schizophrenia Essay2173 Words   |  9 PagesSchizophrenia Schizophrenia is a life-long disorder that affects about one percent of the population (Mueser McGurk, 2004). The cause of this mental illness is still unclear. Studies have suggested that Schizophrenia does not arise from one factor but from a combination of genetic, environmental, and social factors (Liddle, 1987). People diagnosed with Schizophrenia struggle to deal with a multitude of symptoms that make it difficult to function (Mueser McGurk, 2004). Antipsychotic medicationsRead MoreSchizophrenia Poster Research Topics : Schizophrenia1715 Words   |  7 PagesSchizophrenia Poster Research Topics K - What is schizophrenia? Schizophrenia is chronic, severe, and a brain disabling disorder; that has affected people throughout history. 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This illness is across the US and is present in every culture. People are now aware and understand how the illness can be devastating to one’s life. Schizophrenia is a mental disorder of the brain but it is highly treatable. In the US the total amount of people affected with the illness is about 2.2 % of the adult population. The average number of people affected per 1000 total population is 7.2 % per 1000, which means a city thatRead MoreWhat Is Schizophrenia?1499 Words   |  6 PagesWhat is Schizophrenia? The study of schizophrenia dates back to the early 1800’s, when a guy by the name of John Haslam published a book called â€Å"Observations of Insanity†. In his book he goes into detail about the case studies or patents that show symptoms that we could categorize as schizophrenia disorder (John Haslam). By the end of the 19th Century the concept of schizophrenia was made known by a German psychiatrist by the name of Emil Krapelin. He basically took what he learned from HaslamRead More Schizophrenia Essay1017 Words   |  5 Pages Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that affects about one percent of the population. Generally if you have schizophrenia you cut out of contact with real world reality. The word Schizophrenia is Greek for â€Å"split mind†. It is common belief that a person with schizophrenia or a â€Å"schizo† has a split personality, but actually the person’s thinking, feelings, and behavior are so far from normal that they get to th e point where they interfere with their ability to function in everyday life. People whoRead MoreAbnormality and Schizophrenia1532 Words   |  7 PagesAccording to Mathers et al., (1996) â€Å"Schizophrenia ranks among the top ten causes of disability worldwide and affects one in one hundred people at some point in their lives.† (Cardwell and Flanagan, 2012). Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder which is commonly diagnosed in 15-30 year old individuals. It disrupts a person’s cognition, perceptions and emotions, making it extremely difficult to diagnose. Bleuler (1911) introduced the term schizophrenia, which translates as ‘split-mind’ or ‘dividedRead MoreSchizophrenia Essay879 Words   |  4 PagesIt has been widely accepted that schizophrenia has a genetic component, with the relative lifetime risk of schizophrenia being reported at around 0.3-0.7% (McGath et al, 2008) although some studies have shown this to be much higher at around 3.5 % (Pedersen et al, 2014). Studies have shown the risk of relatives developing schizophrenia is correlated with the percentage of shared genes (Tsuang, 2000). Twin studies have been utilised to reveal a genetic component, as monozygotic (MZ) twins share 100%Read MoreSchizophrenia Essay1066 Words   |  5 Pagesis schizophrenia? Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by irrational thought processes. A person dealing with this debilitating illness may think that people are going to kill them, or kidnap them. Some Schizophrenics often have â€Å"voices† in their heads telling them what to do. In some cases this has caused people to take their lives or try to. Schizophrenia is everywhere you look. Out of one hundred thousand people at least one hundred and fifty people have schizophrenia. Like