Schizophrenia overview
Schizophrenia is a serious brain disorder that distorts the way a person thinks, acts, expresses emotions, perceives reality and relates to others. It affects like 1% of the people all over the world. Schizophrenia seems to affect people even in antiquity, and are many things that can show this. In Greek and Roman literature exists notice about schizophrenia symptoms.
The symptoms of what we call today schizophrenia were combined together in a disease named “dementia praecox” by Emil Krapelin . But, after that, they realised that these were not the symptoms of dementia and in 1911 Eugen Bleuler gave the name of schizophrenia, what in Greek means split mind. Neither this is not quite the right name, because can be confused with split personality.
The symptoms of schizophrenia fall into three broad categories: positive symptoms (hallucinations, delusions and thought disorder), negative symptoms ( lack of emotion, withdrawal from family, friends and social activities) and disorganized symptoms (inability to think clear).
Sometimes the symptoms are not specific and can be confused with other brain illnes.
Who is affected?
People all over the world are affected, both women and man, from early teenage to adult ages. It seems that there is a family predispozition for schizophrenia. Many studies are made to find out what are causes of schizophrenia. It is very difficult to make these studies, because they need expensive medical technology.
Beside predispozition, genetic and environmental factors are involved. Pregnant women must be carefull to not expose themselves to toxic gases like lead or do not contact flu during pregnancy or else their childrens might have schizophrenia.
Schizophrenic patients are usually disrupted from the real world, they live in a world of their own, but with the right treatment and with family support they can live almost a normal life, the symptoms can dissappear.
Schizophrenia - Google News
Last update: 12/01/2008
Science Daily (press release) -21 minutes ago
The study breaks new ground in the strategy used to develop new pharmacological treatments for schizophrenia, explained David Lewis, MD, UPMC Endowed Chair ...
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The disorder runs in families and is considered more genetic than schizophrenia, major depression or other mental illnesses. Some research shows if you have ...
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19 (HealthDay News) -- Elevated brain levels of a compound called kynurenic acid are associated with problem-solving deficits in people with schizophrenia, ...
