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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Dave1 on January 30, 2003, at 22:26:28
Hi,
Does anyone know what causes schizophrenia and what doesn't. I mean I know the cause is officially unknown but they must have some ideas.
Dave
Posted by BrittPark on January 31, 2003, at 11:39:08
In reply to schizophrenia causes?, posted by Dave1 on January 30, 2003, at 22:26:28
In my ten minutes of google research ;) I've discovered that you posed a hard question. Besides not knowing exactly what schizophrenia is, in terms of chemical and anatomical abnormalities, doctors know even less about it's etiology. There seems to be a strong genetic component. There's also evidence for childhood trauma, physical damage to the brain and many others. Google and Medline and you can find a lot of information.
Britt
Posted by xjs7 on February 2, 2003, at 12:34:10
In reply to schizophrenia causes?, posted by Dave1 on January 30, 2003, at 22:26:28
What causes schizophrenia is a favorite topic for researchers and has been for years. I read an article a while ago that claims that something in cat feces can cause schizophrenia. I also read an article claiming that a lack of sun on the pregnant mother's part can cause schizophrenia in the child. An environmental cause has long been suspected, partly due to the fact that more people who develop schizophrenia are born in the winter months (with a peak incidence at March) in the northern hemisphere.
Some psychiatrists think that schizophrenia is caused by living in a stressful environment. They claim this is why certain minority groups develop the illness more than whites do. Most psychiatrists think the illness is mainly caused by genetics and environmental stressors (perhaps a virus) to the unborn child.
Researchers believe that schizophrenia is not caused by drug abuse, but is rather triggered by it. So, people have latent schizophrenia and it is "activated" by drug abuse or stress.
I could go on and on about this. No one really knows (yet). I think some advances will be made about the causes of schizophrenia in the next decade. I hope this answers your question.
xjs7
Posted by Dave1 on February 2, 2003, at 17:21:14
In reply to Re: schizophrenia causes?, posted by xjs7 on February 2, 2003, at 12:34:10
Its kind of scary that they don't know, but then again they don't really know the causes of depression, just possibly what triggers it.
Dave
Posted by missinglynxx on February 2, 2003, at 20:36:28
In reply to Re: schizophrenia causes?, posted by Dave1 on February 2, 2003, at 17:21:14
> Its kind of scary that they don't know, but then again they don't really know the causes of depression, just possibly what triggers it.
>
> Dave
My Older brother is a researcher into Dopamine Receptors in Portland, Ill ask him next time his take on it,. He just met the NOBEL PRIZE winner in dopamine research from Sweden for a few minutes at some dinner thing. My Bro has been doing this for 30 years basically .....
Posted by Ed O`Flaherty on February 3, 2003, at 14:25:16
In reply to schizophrenia causes?, posted by Dave1 on January 30, 2003, at 22:26:28
Schizophrenia appears to be related to an abnormailty in the level of dopamine,an important neurotransmitter.There is a strong genetic influence but these genes need to be activated by e.g. emigrating or taking drugs (cannabis,ecstacy,amphetamines,LSD).Thus people from the West Indies are 6 times as likely to get Schizophrenia if they move to London.Put the words "Professor Robin Murray" into a google search and have a look at his point of view-he works in the Institute of Psychiatry in London.
Posted by sydney on February 4, 2003, at 14:58:59
In reply to Re: schizophrenia causes?, posted by missinglynxx on February 2, 2003, at 20:36:28
I subscribe to the theory that Schizophrenia is usually the result of dysfunctional glutamate receptors. For an explanation, see http://www.acnp.org/g4/GN401000116/Default.htm
Basically, schizophrenic symptoms can be elicited by attacking any one of three neurotransmitters. LSD, for example, affects Serotonin. Amphetamines, on the other hand, induce psychosis by modulating Dopamine. Finally, PCP, induces schizophrenia by targeting Glutamate.
A confounding fact is that there are links between the various neurotransmitters. So messing with Dopamine will create secondary affects to the Serotonin and Glutamate neurotransmitter systems. This makes it very hard to pin down why a drug works.
Many researchers think PCP produces the most authentically "Schizophrenic" state. In contrast, the primary effect of LSD is to produce visual hallucinations, which are relatively rare in schizophrenia, not auditory hallucinations, which are the most common perceptual disturbance in schizophrenia. Amphetamines, meanwhile, produce psychosis, but not the negative symptoms like emotional flatness.
As for WHY the receptors are messed up, I think it's still anyone's guess.
This is the end of the thread.
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