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Schizophrenia Schizophrenia Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. It is very difficult for the person to
schizophrenia INTRODUCTION Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness. Patients experience progressive personality changes and a breakdown in their relationships
Schizophrenia Schizophrenia Schizophrenia is a mental disorder marked by the loss of contact with reality. When a person's thinking, feeling, and behavior is so
Submitted by elohemma on July 21, 2008
Category: Psychology
Words: 2527 | Pages: 11
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Schizophrenia is a mental disorder marked by the loss of contact with reality. When a person's thinking, feeling, and behavior is abnormal, it interferes with his or her ability to function in everyday life. Delusions, hallucinations, and irregular thinking and emotions are produced. If these signs are present, he or she may have the mental illness called schizophrenia.
About one hundred years ago, schizophrenia was first recognized as a mental disorder and researchers have been searching for a cure ever since. The cause of schizophrenia is still unknown today and scientists have concluded that schizophrenia has more than one cause. Scientists have developed dozens of theories to explain what causes this disease, but researchers are focusing on four leading theories: the Genetic Theory, the Environmental Theory, the Biochemical Theory, and the Bio-Psycho-Social Theory.
The Genetic Theory argues that schizophrenia is caused by traits in a person's genetic makeup. A normal person has twenty-three pairs of chromosomes. Each pair contains one chromosome from each parent. In corresponding locations called loci of each chromosome, the genes for specific traits are located. Some researchers believe that mutations with these genes can cause schizophrenia. We inherit our genes from our parents, but this does not mean that the parents of a schizophrenic are mentally ill. Problems in a person’s genetic make up could come from mutated chromosomes or recessive genes. In an attempt to prove this theory, scientists study identical twins. Due to the fact that identical twins have identical genetic make up, researchers are able to determine if heredity is the main cause of schizophrenia. However, evidence seems to disprove this theory. In some instances, both identical twins are schizophrenics and other times only one is affected. To defend this theory, it should be noted that this research is complicated. Identical twins are relatively rare,...
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