Cardoso, Y. (Photographer). (2015, October 1). Anxiety [digital image]. Retrieved from http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/photographer-documents-schizophrenia-photo-project-article-1.2381346
Genetics
By: Alexis T.
Genetics play a huge role in the chance of developing Schizophrenia. Even though schizophrenia is a multi-factorial disease with many contributing factors, the genetics of the disease are the most influential in the development of the disease. Those who have a third degree relative with schizophrenia are twice as likely to develop schizophrenia than the normal population. This number goes up by an order of magnitude when it is a first degree relative. There are many genes responsible for the development of this disease, but one of the most interesting genes is the COMT gene. When mutated, this gene it depletes the frontal lobe of dopamine. When this happens, it can cause many positive symptoms.
Schizophrenia. (1996). Schizophrenia.com. Schizophrenia. Retrieved April 17, 2017, from http://schizophrenia.com/index.html
Geography
By: Alexis T.
The location in which one is born and raised has a great influence the development of schizophrenia. Urbanization has a huge effect on the development of schizophrenia. 34.6% of schizophrenia cases would be prevented if people were not born and brought up in cities, compared to 5.4% of cases that would be prevented if people did not have parents or siblings who suffered from the illness. This could be for a number of reasons; some of them being, social adversity, stress, exposure to infection, exposure to leaded gasoline, and the tendency for mentally ill to converge on urban areas. These statistics show the profound effect that urbanization has on the development of schizophrenia. Furthermore, the rates of schizophrenia were higher in developing countries. Even with a small difference in GDP (Gross Domestic Product), the rates of schizophrenia in China and the U.S. had a difference of 9.8 million. Additionally, the stress that a certain area has associated with it can greatly affect the development of schizophrenia. Stress is clearly a major factor in the development of mental illness. Cities have a lot more factors that increase stress meaning that with the risk factors already associated with living in a city and the increased stress in cities, it is a perfect storm for schizophrenia to develop in cities with high stress. Another big factor is drug use. Rates of cannabis misuse show an 88% increase in the chance of developing schizophrenia. When living in an area with increased drug use the chance of schizophrenia developing is much higher because the chance of drug use is much higher. In conclusion, the location in which one is born and raised has a tremendous effect on the development of schizophrenia because of: urbanization, social adversity, stress, exposure to infection, exposure to leaded gasoline, the tendency for mentally ill to converge on urban areas, the development of the country in which one lives, and drug use.
Schizophrenia. (1996). Schizophrenia.com. Schizophrenia. Retrieved April 17, 2017, from http://schizophrenia.com/index.html
Noll, R. (1992). The Encyclopedia of Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders Third Edition. New York, New York: Infobase.
Leask, S. J., (2004). Environmental influences in schizophrenia: the known and the unknown. Advances in psychiatric treatment, vol. 10. Retrieved from http://apt.rcpsych.org/content/aptrcpsych/10/5/323.full.pd
Noll, R. (1992). The Encyclopedia of Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders Third Edition. New York, New York: Infobase.
Leask, S. J., (2004). Environmental influences in schizophrenia: the known and the unknown. Advances in psychiatric treatment, vol. 10. Retrieved from http://apt.rcpsych.org/content/aptrcpsych/10/5/323.full.pd
Environmental Risk Factors
By: Cameron A
Although Schizophrenia is mainly caused by genetic factors and brain chemistry, environmental factors, such as chronic stress, prenatal malnutrition, drug abuse, and location. One of the more common environmental risk factor is abuse of marijuana and cannabis. That is because the active ingredient in marijuana is THC which has a strong affect on 2 different areas of the brain- the prefrontel cortex and the hippo campus which control a person's judgement and memories. Both are equally heavily affected during Schizophrenia. Chronic stress is also a common environmental risk factor. Stress is already known to universally be bad for one's health, but stress itself can change a person's brain chemistry. Large amounts of stress can cause increases in dopamine which can affect very detrimental areas of the brain. Stress and drugs have very similar attacks on the brain as environmental risk factors.
Societal Risk Factors
By: Nancy I.
Along with the genetic and environmental factors that contribute to
schizophrenia, there is also a social factor involved. Several investigations have proved that that social factors like low socioeconomic status, single status, ethnic group, are significantly associated with the prevalence of schizophrenia. More significantly, experiencing traumatic in one's life can increase the likelihood that schizophrenia will develop. Child abuse and neglect, poverty, sexual molestation, and witnessing violence are, among others, the most common risk factors for post-traumatic reactions, aggression, and antisocial behavior. Children who had experienced any type of trauma before the age of 16 were approximately three times more likely to become psychotic in adulthood compared to those selected randomly from the population.
Dean, K., & Murray, R. M. (2005, March). Social risk factors for psychosis. Retrieved April 25, 2017, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3181718/
Weyerer, S. (1994, June). Social risk factors in schizophrenia. Retrieved April 25, 2017, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8058857
Delosa, C., (2012, September 27). Lesson 15 schizophrenia psychological and socio cultural factors. Retrieved April 25, 2017, from https://www.slideshare.net/crystaldelosa/lesson-15-schizophrenia-psychological-and-socio-cultural-factors
schizophrenia, there is also a social factor involved. Several investigations have proved that that social factors like low socioeconomic status, single status, ethnic group, are significantly associated with the prevalence of schizophrenia. More significantly, experiencing traumatic in one's life can increase the likelihood that schizophrenia will develop. Child abuse and neglect, poverty, sexual molestation, and witnessing violence are, among others, the most common risk factors for post-traumatic reactions, aggression, and antisocial behavior. Children who had experienced any type of trauma before the age of 16 were approximately three times more likely to become psychotic in adulthood compared to those selected randomly from the population.
Dean, K., & Murray, R. M. (2005, March). Social risk factors for psychosis. Retrieved April 25, 2017, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3181718/
Weyerer, S. (1994, June). Social risk factors in schizophrenia. Retrieved April 25, 2017, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8058857
Delosa, C., (2012, September 27). Lesson 15 schizophrenia psychological and socio cultural factors. Retrieved April 25, 2017, from https://www.slideshare.net/crystaldelosa/lesson-15-schizophrenia-psychological-and-socio-cultural-factors