Schizophrenia is psychiatric disarray which indicates a rare mental disorder with typical characteristics such as perception disorders and/or abnormality in expressing reality. The disorder commonly manifests abnormalities as acoustic hallucinations, weird delusions, paranoia, disordered speech, and thought processes with significant dysfunction in their social as well as occupational aspects. The symptoms of schizophrenia are likely to onset during adolescence. The diagnosis of this disorder is solely dependent on self-reports provided by the patient of his/her experiences and behavioral conditions; at times others’ observations might also assist in diagnosis.
Studies have revealed over time that some of the probable contributing factors to schizophrenia could be genetics, neurobiology, early environment, social, or some psychological processes. Some drugs; which may be recreational or prescribed can aggravate the symptoms further. Recent psychiatric research primarily focuses on the neurobiological factors that could be the real cause of such mental disorders, but no evidence has been found yet. As there are two many contradictory symptoms of schizophrenia, it is often difficult to conclude whether the diagnosis indicates a single problem or a combination of a couple of distinct symptoms; the debate is still on.
Schizophrenic individuals are likely to have escalated dopamine activity in the brain’s mesolimbic pathway. Antipsychotic medications are the most sought treatment and are used for subduing dopamine activity. Psychotherapy along with social and vocational rehabilitation can also help in this regard. In severe cases where there is a risk for the individual as well as for others – hospitalization is the ultimate way.
Schizophrenia is believed to affect human cognition but, it also has a dramatic impact on an individual’s emotions and behavior. Schizophrenics might also have certain comorbid conditions, such as anxiety disorders and severe depression. Several studies have been carried out to identify the truth of schizophrenia, but no fruitful results have been derived yet. Scientists are still trying their best to look more closely into the brain functions of people having schizophrenia and the ones who don’t – that’s the only way of deriving evidence to prove the truth of their suggested theory.
Previously, a difference was derived by researchers related to the “gamma frequency oscillation” – a typical electrical activity pattern found to be different in schizophrenics. The Newcastle research team has aimed to derive the real cause of such an alteration. The research team used Ketamine, a recreational drug for humans that causes hallucinations, a primary symptom of schizophrenia. When this was applied to the brain cells of rats, the frequency of the electrical activities of the rat’s brain changed dramatically by blocking the brain receptor NMDA.
This could allegedly mean that schizophrenics either don’t have adequate receptors, or their receptors are non-functional. You can contact us through our website to get the best rehabilitation centre in Delhi.