Schizophrenia: Is it preventable Essay Example

activity in people with schizophrenia. Additionally, symptoms can worsen due to stress and may even trigger relapses.

Brain imaging techniques reveal that individuals with schizophrenia typically exhibit enlarged ventricles, decreased gray matter volume, and reduced activity in specific brain regions. Postnatal brain injury can exacerbate these symptoms, while the onset of puberty may trigger psychotic symptoms as significant changes occur. The origin of schizophrenia is thought to stem from a blend of genetic and environmental factors culminating in molecular and cellular abnormalities.

The risk of inheriting schizophrenia is lower for individuals who do not have a family history of the disease. Schizophrenia impacts brain structure and function and is frequently linked to irregularities in chromosome 22. If parents of identical twins have been diagnosed, those twins have a 50% chance of also developing schizophrenia, suggesting genetics may be involved. Although RFLP can help identify problematic genes, schizophrenia is a multifaceted disorder.

Schizophrenia patterns may be influenced by genes from various families, ranging from single to multiple. Additionally, environmental factors can impact vulnerability to the disease through gene interaction. Genetic research aims to uncover molecular and cellular defects that underlie schizophrenia and elucidate gene function in the body. The identification of a causative gene would be an advantageous outcome.

Research suggests that there is no specific biological marker for schizophrenia, although brain abnormalities may have a significant impact. Additionally, pregnancy complications may increase the chances of developing this disorder. CT scans are used to study brain activity in both healthy people and those with schizophrenia, but accurate results may require multiple scans, which could pose long-term radiation risks.

It may take several years to fully comprehend the brain functions of

those with schizophrenia and the illness itself. The symptoms are caused by underlying defects that hinder rationality, clear thinking, truth discernment, moral judgement, and social interaction. This causes them to seem abnormal or insane to others because their beliefs and perceptions do not align with societal norms. Additionally, there is a strong link between schizophrenia and violence.

When schizophrenia is accurately diagnosed, there can be a 10% decrease in violent conduct exhibited by patients. The condition may prompt substance abuse and aggression because of fundamental imperfections that stimulate feelings of paranoia. Those with schizophrenia are at higher risk when using drugs as they consume medication more frequently and might perceive hostility as a secure choice. Neuropsychologists have hypothesized that frontal lobe lesions could be associated with delusions based on examinations carried out on a patient cohort. Schizophrenia has two manifestations: positive symptoms and negative symptoms.

The categorization of symptoms involves positive and negative categories. Positive symptoms involve delusions, hallucinations, disorganized behavior and incoherent speech while negative symptoms include lack of emotions, actions, and speech. These symptoms fall under three groups with the first group being "reality distortion" which comprises both hallucinations and delusions.

The "disorganization" and "psychomotor poverty" groups experience difficulties with speech and emotions, as well as inadequate actions. Antipsychotic medication is typically used in schizophrenia treatment to reduce symptoms by 80-90% within two weeks. Although diagnosis and stabilization may require hospitalization, family members can provide care following treatment and stabilization on medication. Research funding for schizophrenia often focuses on pharmaceutical companies developing drugs to improve social interaction, memory network function, attention span, and planning abilities of patients.

Patients with schizophrenia need to take medication for their entire

lives in order to avoid relapse. Antipsychotic drugs can lower symptoms by 80% to 90%, and social and psychological rehabilitation is important for helping patients reach their objectives. However, patients must be prepared for the difficulties of reintegrating into society since recovery time varies from weeks to months.

It is typical to concentrate on patients' capacity to achieve self-sufficiency, acquire desired goods and reintegrate into regular life as soon as possible when establishing objectives for individuals with schizophrenia. Research has revealed that combining social and psychological rehabilitation with medical care can decrease relapse rates by approximately 50% within two years. Patients with schizophrenia may encounter difficulties in securing employment and might need special arrangements or part-time positions. Furnishing appropriate care for these patients can aid in avoiding problems like homelessness, substance abuse, violence, trauma, legal complications, and anxiety.