Antipsychotics.

Aetiology

the study of the causes, origins or reasons for diseases.

Schizophrenia typically emerges in…

late teens-early twenties for males, 3-4 years older for females, often after a prodromal period

Schizophrenia biology

• Problem in synaptic communication.

• Mesocortical and mesolimbal pathways are of relevance.

Original dopamine hypothesis for schizphrenia.

Hyperactivity of Dopamine transmission responsible for positive symptoms of schizophrenia.

Evidence of dopamine hypothesis

Counters to dopamine hypothesis

• Antipsychotics had no effect on negative and cognitive symptoms.

• Treatment-resistant cohort.

• Limited direct evidence for elevated DA in striatal regions

• No framework

Example of

Revised dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia

Hypodopaminergia in PFC causes hyperdompainergia in sub-cortical areas.