How Does Paranoid Schizophrenia Affect Mental Chemistry?
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Paranoid Schizophrenia
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Paranoid Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that can cause delusions, hallucinations and a general disruption of your sensory perception. Schizophrenia can cause disorganized thinking in a person's mind, which can also lead to disruptions in social cognition. There are no known cures or specific causes for schizophrenia, making it difficult to diagnose without self-reporting from potential patients. There is physical evidence, to include brain chemistry, and statistics that can suggest contributing factors.
Dopamine
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One paranoid schizophrenia cause theory suggests that dopamine plays a major role in the disease. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, which is responsible for transmitting signals among the brain's neurons. With paranoid schizophrenics, there is an overactive production of dopamine. The University of Washington's neuroscience web page points out "Dopamine Theory" supporters cite evidence that dopamine-blocking drugs reduce schizophrenic symptoms in patients. They also point to amphetamines. Evidence suggests that patients who use amphetamines, which exacerbate the release of dopamine, have magnified psychotic symptoms associated with schizophrenia.
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Serotonin
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Serotonin, another brain chemical, also can contribute to schizophrenic symptoms. Serotonin is responsible for balancing moods and feelings such as anger and aggression. It also interacts with many other neurotransmitters in the brain. Some studies suggest that below-average serotonin levels have been found in schizophrenic patients.
Glutamate
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There have also been abnormal Glutamate levels found in paranoid schizophrenics. Glutamate is an amino acid that contributes to the brain's metabolic systems. A study conducted by University of Alberta assistant professor of Psychiatry Dr. Philip Tibbo showed that teenagers with a high genetic risk for schizophrenia had abnormally high levels of glutamate. The high levels were found in the prefrontal cortex of the brain, which is responsible for controlling social behavior and decision making.
Chemical Treatment
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Medications are the most popular way to treat schizophrenia. Since there is no cure, treatment focuses on helping control the symptoms. One medication, Clozapine, is prescribed when other medications are ineffective. Clozapine works by blocking the neurotransmitter receptors in neurons that take up type 4 dopamine and type 2 serotonin. If a paranoid schizophrenic patient has high levels of these neurotransmitters, a reduction in uptake can also cause a reduction in associated psychotic behaviors.
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