Evaluation

• Research support for the role of genetics


  • McQuillin - genetic variants concentrated in neurons
  • Both high-risk and low-risk mutations are consistent, pointing to genes like GRIN2A, also important in epilepsy and neurodevelopment disorders
  • 80k with schizophrenia and 240k without
  • Therefore, if true understanding is sought, it needs to be at a genetic level
• Counterpoint to McQuillin


  • Torrey - waste of money, patients aren't being helped
  • Money better spent on researching causal role of inflammation or microbiome
• Evidence for dopamine


  • Amphetamines increase dopamine and worsen symptoms in people with schizophrenia and include symptoms in those without - Curran et al.
  • Antipsychotics reduce dopamine activity and intensity of symptoms - Tauscher
  • Some candidate genes act on production of dopamine and dopamine receptors
  • Therefore, dopamine is involved with schizophrenia
• Counterpoint to evidence for dopamine


  • However, other drugs that increase dopamine levels (apomorphine) don't cause schizophrenia-like symptoms - Depatie and Lal
  • Garson challenged the idea that amphetamine psychosis closely mimics schizophrenia