Posted by sydney on February 4, 2003, at 14:58:59
In reply to Re: schizophrenia causes?, posted by missinglynxx on February 2, 2003, at 20:36:28
I subscribe to the theory that Schizophrenia is usually the result of dysfunctional glutamate receptors. For an explanation, see http://www.acnp.org/g4/GN401000116/Default.htm
Basically, schizophrenic symptoms can be elicited by attacking any one of three neurotransmitters. LSD, for example, affects Serotonin. Amphetamines, on the other hand, induce psychosis by modulating Dopamine. Finally, PCP, induces schizophrenia by targeting Glutamate.
A confounding fact is that there are links between the various neurotransmitters. So messing with Dopamine will create secondary affects to the Serotonin and Glutamate neurotransmitter systems. This makes it very hard to pin down why a drug works.
Many researchers think PCP produces the most authentically "Schizophrenic" state. In contrast, the primary effect of LSD is to produce visual hallucinations, which are relatively rare in schizophrenia, not auditory hallucinations, which are the most common perceptual disturbance in schizophrenia. Amphetamines, meanwhile, produce psychosis, but not the negative symptoms like emotional flatness.
As for WHY the receptors are messed up, I think it's still anyone's guess.
poster:sydney
thread:138471
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030204/msgs/139363.html