A01

• introductory sentence= the biological explanation focuses on genetic explanations, the dopamine hypothesis and neural correlates. However does not deny the role of psychological factors so diathesis stress model is proposed
• genetic explanations= schizophrenia runs in families, candidate genes give pre-established vulnerability to sz
• genetic explanations research= joseph conducted twin studies, found MZ twins had 40% risk and DZ had 7.4% risk.
• the dopamine hypothesis= sz caused by excess dopamine in the brain synapses. high number of D2 receptors on post synaptic neurone leads to increased dopamine binding and neurone firing
• neural correlates= impaired PFC(reasoning and planning), deficits in nerve connections with the hippocampus and PFC leading to memory issues(mukai et al) and reduced grey/white matter in the brain