| Schizophrenia is a brain disease that affects the | | | | enlarged brain ventricles which show a lack of volume |
| person's actions, thought processes and perception of | | | | and mass of brain tissue. Other possible contributors |
| reality. It is a difficult disease to foresee since | | | | have to do with the measuring of brain activity from |
| schizophrenia happens not at a young age but in the | | | | the frontal lobe which is responsible for the decision |
| late teen years to early twenty's for men and the late | | | | making, planning and reasoning processes. |
| twenty's to early 30's for women. | | | | These are some of the likely causes of schizophrenia |
| What causes schizophrenia is not fully known but | | | | and there are no definite conclusions but rather |
| apparently there are linkages between genetic and | | | | hypotheses of what may contribute to such an ailment. |
| environmental factors whose complex interaction may | | | | The effects of schizophrenia are the ones most felt |
| result in schizophrenia. Though genetics may play a | | | | not just by the patient but by those around especially |
| role in this disease, it only determines one's | | | | family members and friends. The biggest effect of |
| predisposition to it, and not its development. More than | | | | schizophrenia is in the person's ability to interact with |
| half of people diagnosed with schizophrenia have | | | | others. Since this ailment strikes at a later age, one can |
| family members who do not have that disorder. Like | | | | see a reversal of behavior. From a gregarious and |
| everything else, complications during pregnancy may | | | | communicative personality, one affected with this |
| have linkages to schizophrenia. Stress inducing | | | | ailment can become withdrawn, and uncommunicative. |
| conditions like low oxygen levels during the birthing | | | | Paranoia can set it which makes the person suspicious |
| process, a prenatal exposure to a viral infection and | | | | of everyone. Worse yet, one affected with |
| exposure to virus during infancy. It is believed that high | | | | schizophrenia may develop his or her language or |
| levels of stress trigger the production of the hormone | | | | become incomprehensible, offering uttering words that |
| cortisol which as studies suggests, plays a role in | | | | rhyme but not make any sense or even talking about |
| schizophrenia. Another alleged cause of developing | | | | things illogically. Such an effect of schizophrenia may |
| schizophrenia is brain chemical imbalances. Glutamate | | | | lead to frustrations among both parties and immediate |
| and Dopamine imbalances, as recent studies suggest, | | | | consultations with doctors are needed to help treat the |
| may contribute to schizophrenia. Abnormalities in brain | | | | ailment which is treatable with the appropriate |
| structure may also cause this disease. CAT Scans | | | | medicine. |
| taken from those afflicted by the ailment show | | | | |