[Progress in research on etiopathogenesis of schizophrenia in recent decades]

In this paper, a progress in research on etiopathogenesis of schizophrenia made in the recent decade was presented. Two main etiopathogenetic factors in this illness include genetic predisposition and brain damage in early period of life, leading to a disorder of brain development and lateralization, and to an increased susceptibility to stress. The use of new methods of genetic studies brought about a significant progress as to identification of relationship between schizophrenia and various changes within genotype. In the 1990s, many data have been obtained concerning possible brain damaging factors as well as the existence of structural and functional brain abnormalities in this illness. Impaired brain development in schizophrenia results in disturbances of neuronal connection in the cortical structures and in cortical-limbic transmission, what may underlie the appearance of psychopathological symptoms. New neuroleptic drugs introduced in the recent years show more complete therapeutic action against schizophrenic symptoms compared with drugs used so far. This may result from their broader influence on the pathogenetic processes of schizophrenia, which may be due, apart from their effect on dopaminergic system, also to their action on some elements of serotonergic neurotransmission.