Schizophrenia & Low Levels of Dopamine
Low levels of dopamine may play a role in the development of negative symptoms of schizophrenia. According to Psychiatric-Disorders.com, the exact relationship between dopamine imbalances and schizophrenia is not fully understood.
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Definition
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Schizophrenia is a chronic mental disorder characterized by hallucinations, delusions and disorganized thoughts and speech. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter associated with feelings of pleasure and reward.
Symptoms
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Schizophrenia has positive symptoms, which involve behavioral disturbances, such as hallucinations, delusions, emotional disturbances and incoherent speech. Schizophrenia also has negative symptoms, which involve a lack of certain behaviors, such as emotion, speech and social interaction.
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Features
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According to research conducted by the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University in New York and published in The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, the dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia suggests that high levels of dopamine may be associated with positive symptoms of schizophrenia, while low levels of dopamine may be related to negative symptoms.
Cause
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According to Psychiatric-Disorders.com, the cause of schizophrenia is undetermined, though genetics, birth defects, environment and an imbalance of dopamine may be factors.
Treatment
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Positive symptoms of schizophrenia may be treated by antipsychotic medications that block dopamine receptors.
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