Biological explanation of schizophrenia

• hypothesis?

  * schizophrenics have overactive dopamine systems

  * bc dopamine is neurotransmitter associated with mood, perception and movement, it makes sense that excess of it would cause people to see or hear things that aren't there

  * brains scans of schizophrenics show excess of dopamine travelling across synapses, and also excess of dopamine receptors
• brain?

  * when brain functions or structure are different from normal then thoughts and actions will be abnormal

  * biological explanation blames schizophrenia on brain dysfunction

  * theory that neurological damage happens bc of defective genes or problems during pregnancy when brain is developing
• research on schizophrenics found?

  * volume of brain is around 5% lower than average

  * frontal lobes are less active bc of decreased blood flow

  * temporal lobes lack grey matter (contains 'thinking' cells)

  * hippocampus (associated with memories and emotions that go with them) is smaller than average
• criticisms?

  * focuses too much on nature; eg in some environments delusions and hallucinations are seen as a sign of magical powers

  * problems establishing cause and effect

  * too reductionist bc schizophrenia is too complex to be explained as just parts of brain not working properly