Y13 Schizophrenia - Biological Explanations/Drug Therapy

Family studies have confirmed that schizophrenia increase in line with...

• Genetic similarity

• Behavioural factors

• Environmental factors

• Order of birth

Answer explanation

Families tend to share environment, not just genes, so the correlation with schizophrenia represents both.

Schizophrenia is polygenic. What does this mean?

• It is influenced by a single gene

• It is prevalent primarily in every other generation within a family

• It is influenced by two or more genes.

• The genes for schizophrenia are dormant until activated by environmental factors

The most likely genes involved in schizophrenia seem to be those for coding:

• Microglia

• Dopamine

• Neurotransmitters

• Serotonin

What does it mean for a disease to be aetiologically heterogeneous?

• A singular combination of multiple genes causes the disorder

• Different combinations of multiple genes causes the disorder

Dopamine is a type of neurotransmitter and hormone which primarily does what?

• Helps with the timing of your circadian rhythm and with sleep

• Allows you to feel pleasure, satisfaction and motivation

• Responsible for stress response and immune system

• Known as the 'love hormone', it helps facilitate childbirth