Q & A: Schizophrenia
LifeDr.com
What have you come to understand are the neurobiological bases for schizophrenia, and what are the therapeutic benefits and unwanted side effects of antipsychotic medications?
Schizophrenia is a brain disease that is thought to stem from genetic variables or abnormalities in structure, neurochemistry, function, and environmental factors. Although there have been a number of theories that attempt to explain the exact causation, The Dopamine Model is the predominant theory that has been used for the last couple of decades. This model represents that excessive dopamine is thought to lead to a disorganization of thought and perception, failures in screening stimuli, and behavioral agitation. Newer research reflects that glutamate toxicity leads to the potential poisoning of cells by activating free radicals that eventually kill them (Preston and Johnson, 2010).











































