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Biological Explanations Of Schizophrenia Essay

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Biological Explanations Of Schizophrenia Essay
Schizophrenia is a psychotic disorder in which a persons personal, social, and occupational functioning in normal life deteriorates to unusual perceptions, odd thoughts, disturbed emotions, and motor abnormalities. A person struggling with schizophrenia will lose contact with reality and begin to lose the ability to function at home, school, or work. Individuals may also suffer from hallucinations and or delusions. There are three main categories of symptoms for schizophrenia: positive symptoms, negative symptoms, and psychomotor symptoms. Positive symptoms consist of multiple additions to a persons behavior such as: delusions, disorganized thinking and speech, heightened perceptions and hallucinations, and inappropriate affect” (Comer 387). …show more content…
A biological view points to genes as a factor. Those with relatives who have the disorder are more at risk to develop the disorder as well. Identical twins are more likely to develop the disorder if the other twin has been diagnosed. Biochemical abnormalities may also be responsible for the development of the disorder. The dopamine hypothesis explains that neurons that use dopamine fire too often and too many messages being transmitted results in symptoms of schizophrenia. Abnormal brain structure, enlarged ventricles, smaller temporal and frontal lobes, and abnormal blood flow. These abnormal brain structures usually result in negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Biological views also point out that a virus may be the root cause of schizophrenia. Psychodynamic theories suggest that the parents, specifically the mother, are cold and unnurturing which confuses children and sets the stage for the development of schizophrenia. Cognitive theorists suggest that when those with schizophrenia experience the peculiar biological sensations, delusional thinking is developed. There are many sociocultural views that explain the cause of schizophrenia. Multicultural factors explain that racial and ethnic groups that are at a disadvantage economically are more at risk for developing schizophrenia, that social labeling promotes the development of the disorder, and family dysfunction and stress if a

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