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Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia, a term introduced by Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler in 1911, describes a severe psychological disorder marked by profound disruptions in attention, thought processes, language, emotion, and interpersonal relationships. The core feature of schizophrenia is psychosis — a state characterized by a fundamental detachment from reality. This disconnection manifests through distorted logic, impaired perception, and atypical behavior, severely affecting the lives of those diagnosed.

Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia

Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia, a complex psychiatric disorder, has been historically misunderstood. Early psychological theories attributed its origins to childhood trauma and unresponsive parenting. However, contemporary research largely rejects these notions, favoring the vulnerability-stress hypothesis. This model proposes that individuals with a genetic predisposition to schizophrenia may develop the disorder following exposure to significant environmental stressors. Notably, studies on high-risk...

Psychosis: Pathophysiology of Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders

Psychosis: Pathophysiology of Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders

Schizophrenia is a neurodevelopmental disorder whose origins are rooted in complex genetic components. Despite our burgeoning understanding, the pathophysiology of this disorder remains incompletely deciphered.
Researchers have identified genetic factors that increase susceptibility to schizophrenia, underscoring the intricate interplay between genetics and environment in disease development. At the core of schizophrenia's pathophysiology is excessive dopaminergic neurotransmission within the...

Biological Causes of Schizophrenia

Biological Causes of Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia, a severe psychiatric disorder, arises from a complex interplay of biological factors, including genetic predisposition, structural brain abnormalities, neurotransmitter dysregulation, and developmental irregularities. These factors collectively contribute to the onset and progression of the disorder, which typically manifests in late adolescence or early adulthood.
Genetic Factors in Schizophrenia
The genetic basis of schizophrenia is strongly supported by family and twin studies.

Negative and Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Negative and Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Negative symptoms of schizophrenia indicate a reduction or absence of typical behaviors and emotional responses found in healthy individuals, while positive symptoms reflect an excess or distortion of normal functioning.
Negative Symptoms
Negative symptoms of schizophrenia manifest as deficits in normal emotional and behavioral functioning, profoundly impacting daily life. Individuals with schizophrenia often display a flat affect, characterized by a near-total absence of emotional expression,...

Psychosis and Antipsychotic Drugs: Overview

Psychosis and Antipsychotic Drugs: Overview

The term "psychosis" refers to a spectrum of mental disorders characterized by abnormal thoughts, perceptions, and behaviors. It can manifest as mood disorders, dementia, delirium with psychotic features, substance-induced psychosis with psychotic features, brief psychotic disorder, delusional disorder, schizoaffective disorder, and schizophrenia. Among all these disorders, schizophrenia is the most common psychotic disorder, affecting 1% of the worldwide population. Psychotic symptoms in all...

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Related Experiment Video

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Development of a Virtual Reality Assessment of Everyday Living Skills

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Published on: April 23, 2014

Mortality in schizophrenia.

Pascal Auquier¹, Christophe Lançon, Frédéric Rouillon

¹Département de Santé Publique, Faculté de Médecine, La Timone, Marseille, France. pascal.auquier@medecine.univ-mrs.fr

Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety

|October 24, 2006

Summary

Individuals with schizophrenia face significantly higher mortality rates due to suicide and natural causes. Research must now focus on interventions to reduce this excess mortality in schizophrenia patients.

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Area of Science:

Psychiatry
Public Health
Epidemiology

Background:

Schizophrenia is linked to a 2-3 fold increased mortality risk compared to the general population.
This excess mortality stems from both increased suicide rates and higher natural death rates.

Purpose of the Study:

To review current knowledge on excess mortality in schizophrenia.
To identify causative factors contributing to elevated mortality.
To evaluate potential interventions for reducing mortality rates.

Main Methods:

Comprehensive literature search of Medline and Embase databases (since 1995).
Keywords used: 'mortality' and 'schizophrenia'.
Cross-referencing relevant articles.

Main Results:

Excess mortality in schizophrenia is attributed to suicide (especially in young males post-diagnosis) and natural deaths.
Unhealthy lifestyles, polypharmacy, and inadequate healthcare contribute to natural mortality.
The impact of antipsychotic use on mortality remains unclear.

Conclusions:

The elevated mortality in schizophrenia patients is a well-established fact.
Future research should shift focus from documenting excess mortality to developing and implementing interventions to mitigate it.