The Signs And Causes Of Paranoid Schizophrenia Are Not Always Easy To Identify

The signs and causes of paranoid schizophrenia are still largely mysterious

. Often the first signs of this disorder mimic other illnesses like depression, bipolar, intermittent explosive anger disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Like other mental disorders, schizophrenics are usually socially withdrawn, angry, depressed, aloof, eccentric and unfocused. However, it's the presence of positive symptoms, like hallucinations and/or mental delusions that have come to really define paranoid schizophrenia. While the exact causes are as yet undetermined, there are many theories being examined and tested.

One thing doctors have long noticed about the signs and causes of paranoid schizophrenia is that it appears to have some sort of genetic link. Individuals with parents or siblings who suffer from paranoid schizophrenia have a 10% chance of developing the disorder (compared to 1% of the general population). However, 60% of schizophrenics have no family members with the disorder and individuals with a predisposition to the disorder do not necessarily show symptoms of poor mental health.

Chemical imbalances in neurotransmitters, proteins and amino acids all play a role too, but it's unknown what causes the brain to turn on itself. The causes and signs of paranoid schizophrenia have been traced back to dopamine and glutamate. Researchers believe that dopamine floods the mesolimbic pathway of the brain, causing psychotic symptoms, although it's not known what triggers the release.

Scientists have also proposed that what causes schizophrenia is an activation of D2 receptors. Many of the new antipsychotic medications affect both the dopamine and the seratonin functioning in the brain. The brains of schizophrenics often show reduced function of the NMDA glutamate receptor.

Recent advances in magnetic resonance imaging have helped researchers get a unique glimpse at physical signs and causes of paranoid schizophrenia. For instance, enlarged ventricles and diminishing grey matter brain tissue are believed to play a role in the mental illness. The frontal lobe, responsible for planning and decision making, shows less activity than the rest of the populace. Despite these observations, researchers doubt that one area of the brain is responsible for the devastating effects of paranoid schizophrenia.

by: Kevin Rudick

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