What are the Causes of Schizophrenia?

The cause of schizophrenia is unknown.

The various theories to explain the development of this disorder as mentioned below:

Heredity:

Genes may play a role in the development of schizophrenia.

Environmental Factors:

Possible environmental factors include obstetric complications such as exposure to influenza during pregnancy or nutritional deprivation during pregnancy. It has also been suggested that stress and trauma can lead to the emergence of schizophrenia.

Neuro-developmental Factors:

There is a possibility that individuals who develop schizophrenia in early adult life have suffered some form of cerebral disorder in the development of their brain while in the womb.

Drug Misuse:

Some research suggests that substance misuse is related to the development of schizophrenia.

Biochemical Factors:

Certain biochemical imbalances in the brain are believed to be involved in the cause of schizophrenia. Neurotransmitters (the substances that allow communication between nerve cells) have long been thought to be involved in the development of schizophrenia.

Published on Oct 24, 2015
Last Updated on Oct 24, 2015

Citations

Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

APA

Dr. Trupti Shirole. (2015, October 24). What are the Causes of Schizophrenia?. Medindia. Retrieved on May 23, 2022 from https://www.medindia.net/patients/patientinfo/what-are-the-causes-of-schizophrenia.htm.
MLA

Dr. Trupti Shirole. "What are the Causes of Schizophrenia?". Medindia. May 23, 2022. <https://www.medindia.net/patients/patientinfo/what-are-the-causes-of-schizophrenia.htm>.
Chicago
Dr. Trupti Shirole. "What are the Causes of Schizophrenia?". Medindia. https://www.medindia.net/patients/patientinfo/what-are-the-causes-of-schizophrenia.htm. (accessed May 23, 2022).
Harvard
Dr. Trupti Shirole. 2021. What are the Causes of Schizophrenia?. Medindia, viewed May 23, 2022, https://www.medindia.net/patients/patientinfo/what-are-the-causes-of-schizophrenia.htm.