Depression : Predisposing factors
Predisposing factors
- Biological factors
- Genetics
- A growing body of knowledge indicates that genetics plays an important role in the development of schizophrenia.
- Biochemical factors
- One theory suggests that schizophrenia may be caused by an excess of dopamine activity in the brain.
- Abnormalities in other neurotransmitters have also been suggested
- Genetics
- Physiological factors
- Viral infection
- Anatomical abnormalities
- Electrophysiology
- Epilepsy
- Huntington’s disease
- Birth trauma
- Head injury in adulthood
- Alcohol abuse
- Cerebral tumor
- Cerebrovascular accident
- Systemic lupus erythematosus
- Psychological factors
- These theories no longer hold credibility. Researchers now focus their studies of schizophrenia as a brain disorder.
- Psychosocial theories probably developed early on out of a lack of information related to a biological connection.
- Environmental Influence
- Sociocultural factors: Poverty has been linked with the development of schizophrenia.
- Downward drift hypothesis: Poor social conditions seen as consequence of, rather than a cause of, schizophrenia
- Stressful life events may be associated with exacerbation of schizophrenic symptoms and increased rates of relapse.
- Studies of genetic vulnerability for schizophrenia have linked certain genes to increased risk for psychosis and particularly for adolescents who use cannabinoids.
- Theoretical integration
- Schizophrenia is most likely a biologically based disease, the onset of which is influenced by factors in the internal or external environment.