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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
What areas of the brain are activated to produce the symptoms of Schizophrenia?
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD), bipolar disorder, dementia, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic, personality disorders, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, stress, transitions, and work problems.
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What areas of the brain are activated to produce the symptoms of Schizophrenia?
by KAM, Nov 30, 1999 12:00AM
I realize what the symptoms of schizophrenia are, but what areas of the brain must be effected in order to experience such symptoms? For instance, the hallucinations must be caused by activation of certain areas of the brain, what are these areas? Similarly, delusions - what areas of the brain must be working to create these delusions? What areas are being activated to produce the negative symptoms of schizophrenia? Do we know this kind of stuff??
Doctor's Answer
by HFHS-M.D.-HG, Dec 03, 1999 12:00AM
Dear Kam,
Since the past decade, a lot of research is going on about Schizophrenia. The major brain areas implicated in Schizophrenia are the limbic structures, the frontal lobes and basal ganglia. It was previously determined that the hippocampal area of affected person was smaller and had a smaller increase in blood flow to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Computed Tomography (CT scan) studies showed that the brains of patients with schizophrenia have lateral and third ventricular enlargement and some reduction in cortical volume. These CT scan abnormalities correlated with the presence of negative symptoms. Abnormalities in neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine were noticed in schizophrenic patients. Dopamine was found to be contributing to psychotic symptoms(delusions and hallucinations) . Several other factors- genetic, immunological and psychosocial factors have been studied with regards to schizophrenia.
Since the past decade, a lot of research is going on about Schizophrenia. The major brain areas implicated in Schizophrenia are the limbic structures, the frontal lobes and basal ganglia. It was previously determined that the hippocampal area of affected person was smaller and had a smaller increase in blood flow to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Computed Tomography (CT scan) studies showed that the brains of patients with schizophrenia have lateral and third ventricular enlargement and some reduction in cortical volume. These CT scan abnormalities correlated with the presence of negative symptoms. Abnormalities in neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine were noticed in schizophrenic patients. Dopamine was found to be contributing to psychotic symptoms(delusions and hallucinations) . Several other factors- genetic, immunological and psychosocial factors have been studied with regards to schizophrenia.
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