Biological approach

• What is the neurotransmitter linked to SZ?

  Dopamine
• What do people with SZ have too many of?

  Dopamine receptors
• What other neurotransmitters may be involved in SZ?

  Glutamate and serotonin
• What does Snyder say about the dopamine hypothesis?


  Too much dopamine being released at a synapse can lead to the onset of SZ
• What drug that binds to dopamine receptors has been seen to create SZ?

  LSD
• Who found post-mortems on SZs shows an increase in dopamine?

  Seeman (1987)
• What do family studies show?

  Kendler - the more closely related you are to someone with SZ, the more likely you are to get it
• What is the concordance rate for MZ twins and DZ twins

  Kendler - 31% concordance rate for MZ twins, 7% concordance rate for DZ twins

  • There must be a biological element but it is not 100% so it is not purely biological
• What parts of the brain are associated with different symptoms according to Davis?

  Positive symptoms - mesolimbic dopamine system

  Negative symptoms - mesocortical dopamine system