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Schizophrenia-an evolutionary enigma?

Martin Brüne1

  • 1Centre for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bochum, Alexandrinenstr, Bochum, Germany. martin.bruene@ruhr-uni-bochum.de

Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
|March 24, 2004
PubMed
Summary

Schizophrenia

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary psychology
  • Psychiatry
  • Human genetics

Background:

  • Schizophrenia's stable incidence and reduced fecundity present an evolutionary paradox.
  • Genes for schizophrenia persist despite reproductive disadvantages, suggesting a compensatory advantage.
  • Existing evolutionary theories struggle to explain the disorder's diverse symptoms.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review and discuss evolutionary hypotheses for schizophrenia.
  • To propose a symptom-based approach for a more comprehensive evolutionary perspective.
  • To address limitations in current evolutionary models of schizophrenia.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of evolutionary explanations for schizophrenia.
  • Analysis of existing hypotheses, including T.J. Crow's theory.
  • Conceptual discussion of a symptom-based evolutionary approach.

Main Results:

  • No single evolutionary scenario fully explains schizophrenia's complex symptomatology.
  • The prevalence of a disorder does not equate to adaptation.
  • A symptom-based approach may offer a more nuanced evolutionary understanding.

Conclusions:

  • Current evolutionary models of schizophrenia are incomplete.
  • A symptom-based evolutionary perspective is needed to better understand schizophrenia.
  • Further research should focus on specific symptoms within an evolutionary framework.

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