Schizophrenia! most of us might have came across this term or individuals suffering from schizophrenia which is a mental disorder that causes disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It is also accompanied by social or occupational dysfunction.
The global lifetime prevalence is about 0.3-0.7%; with an epidemiology of 24 million people suffering worldwide with 2 million in U.S. alone. It occurs 1.4 times more frequently in males than females.
The factors contributing to the occurrence are genetics, environmental, neurobiological, psycological and social processes. However no single organic cause is founded for neurobiology. The diagnosis is done on patients behavior and reported experience.
Antipsychotic drugs are used for the treatment which are known to cause decrease in the dopamine activity in the brain. However some drugs can worsen the effects in the individuals suffering.
The average life expectancy is 12-15 years less than the normal individuals and the suicide rate is higher in persons suffering from schizophrenia with about 5% and that too higher in males. The additional conditions which can help in diagnosis are- major depression, anxiety disorder, occurrence of substance abuse and social problem or withdrawl.
Additional resources to be added soon.
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