A swath of chromosome 6 encompassing several genes known to be involved in immune function emerged as the strongest signal associated with schizophrenia risk in genome-wide analyses by the NIMH-funded Psychiatric Genomics Consortium over the past several years.
Schizophrenia treatment includes medication, therapy, social and family support, and the use of social services. Treatment must be ongoing, as this is a chronic illness without a cure. When schizophrenia is treated and managed over the long-term, most people can live normal, productive, and fulfilling lives.
A family history of psychiatric conditions is considered to be the strongest risk factor for schizophrenia among first-degree relatives (8).
Schizoaffective disorder and schizophrenia share some symptoms and treatments. The main difference is that schizoaffective disorder has a mood compenent, which can involve mania or depression. Some researchers believe schizoaffective disorder is a more severe variant of schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia is a condition that affects all areas of life, and that appears to include intelligence. Overall, people who live with schizophrenia have lower IQ scores than those who don't experience the condition.
People with schizophrenia are also different from healthy people in terms of experiencing life satisfaction. At the same time, they do not differ in such strengths of character as: originality, judgment, fairness, forgiveness/mercy, modesty/humility, prudence, appreciation for beauty, gratitude, spirituality.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the decline in life expectancy among people with more severe mental illness ranges from 10–25 years . Most studies of schizophrenia show a life expectancy reduction of 10–20 years.
Signs and symptoms may vary, but usually involve delusions, hallucinations or disorganized speech, and reflect an impaired ability to function. The effect can be disabling. In most people with schizophrenia, symptoms generally start in the mid- to late 20s, though it can start later, up to the mid-30s.
Trauma may cause changes in the body and affect neurotransmitters in the brain, increasing the risk of psychotic symptoms or schizophrenia. Childhood trauma may trigger schizophrenia in those susceptible to it, and people may experience symptoms between their late teens and early 30s.
Scientists believe that people with schizophrenia have an imbalance of the neurotransmitters (brain chemicals) serotonin, dopamine, and glutamate .
The average IQ of paranoid patients was 74.3, of catatonic patients 64.8, of hebephrenic patients 59.2, and of those with schizophrenia simplex 57.4. Most cases with IQ = 0 related to the group with schizophrenia simplex.
In 1978, Nash was awarded the John von Neumann Theory Prize for his discovery of non-cooperative equilibria, now called Nash equilibria. As a result of Nash's illness, he adopted unhealthy practices that did not help him cope with schizophrenia.
Unfortunately, most people with schizophrenia are unaware that their symptoms are warning signs of a mental disorder. Their lives may be unraveling, yet they may believe that their experiences are normal. Or they may feel that they're blessed or cursed with special insights that others can't see.
Schizophrenia has a stronger association with homicide than other diagnoses of mental disorders [19, 20]. Among patients with mental disorders who have murdered relatives, more than 50% were schizophrenia patients [21, 22].
Though schizophrenia isn't as common as other major mental illnesses, it can be the most chronic and disabling. People with schizophrenia often have problems doing well in society, at work, at school, and in relationships. They might feel frightened and withdrawn, and could appear to have lost touch with reality.
Catatonic schizophrenia
This is the rarest schizophrenia diagnosis, characterised by unusual, limited and sudden movements. You may often switch between being very active or very still. You may not talk much, and you may mimic other's speech and movement.
People with schizophrenia experience difficulties in remembering their past and envisioning their future. However, while alterations of event representation are well documented, little is known about how personal events are located and ordered in time.
Drastic changes in behaviour may occur, and the person can become upset, anxious, confused, angry or suspicious of those around them. But most people who get psychotic episodes are not a danger to others. They may not think they need help, and it can be hard to persuade them to visit a doctor.
Tell the person that he or she is having a hallucination and that you do not see or hear what he or she does. But don't argue with the person if he or she can't understand you or doesn't believe you. The person needs to feel that it's okay to talk to you about his or her symptoms.