| Scientists are doing their best to find out the exact | | | | causes the disease. |
| causes of schizophrenia and for that they are doing | | | | Others believe that the cause for schizophrenia is |
| biochemistry studies, molecular biology studies and | | | | drugs. The drug abuse only gives worse symptoms |
| genetic studies. | | | | of schizophrenia or triggers schizophrenia to manifest, |
| One study has proved that in those who have | | | | but this means that the disease already existed |
| schizophrenia a neurochemical imbalance is present. | | | | before drugs were taken. In healthy persons drugs |
| Researchers are studying the neurotransmitters and | | | | only give symptoms like those in schizophrenia but do |
| are testing drugs like antipsychotics on three of the | | | | not create the disease. |
| neurotransmitters: dopamine, norepinefrine and | | | | A lack of vitamins is not a cause for schizophrenia. |
| serotonin. | | | | Some patients suffering of schizophrenia took |
| Scientists also discovered that people with | | | | vitamins after the disease had manifested and they |
| schizophrenia have problems with the coordination | | | | got better but this could have been only a good |
| between different areas of the brain. Normally when | | | | effect of the diet and vitamins and they would have |
| one area activates others decrease their activity but | | | | recovered any way independent of the followed |
| in schizophrenics these areas keep on being active in | | | | treatment. |
| the same time with others. Also, during hallucinations | | | | The only certain things scientists know until now |
| of the patients researchers discovered some areas | | | | about schizophrenia are that schizophrenia is a mental |
| that manifested unusual activity. | | | | disease, associated with biochemical changes in the |
| The research made in molecular biology showed that | | | | brain along with physical changes. This disease |
| the schizophrenic patients had an irregular pattern of | | | | generally is unleashed in adolescence, mostly during |
| some brain cells. Scientists thought that this pattern | | | | the period of 16 to 25 and seems to affect 1% of |
| might lead them to a possible cause of schizophrenia | | | | the world population. The existing medications are |
| during the prenatal period or that it shows a | | | | quite useful and they can treat most of the |
| possibility for a later development of this disease. | | | | schizophrenic cases. |
| It seems that schizophrenia is not a hereditary | | | | Other things scientists are sure of are: schizophrenia |
| disease; this is what genetic studies have showed. | | | | is not a disease caused by traumas induced by |
| Some people believe that stress is the cause of | | | | parents during childhood, or caused by poverty and |
| schizophrenia. This is not true; stress only makes the | | | | does not refer to a split of personality either. |
| symptoms look worse but does not mean that it | | | | |