Schizophrenia is a mental disease that causes the affected individual to misinterpret reality abnormally. Some of the common signs and symptoms presented by patients include hallucination which might be auditory, visual, or tactile, belief in a false reality, anxiety, depressive disorder, lack of motivation and so on. The signs and symptoms of this disease are progressive and gradual. It doesn’t start until the individual attains young adulthood. The exact cause of this disease isn’t known yet. However, environmental and genetic factors have been identified to contribute significantly to the development of the disease. Some of the environmental factors involved include age, infections, nutrition, pregnancy and so on. Physicians diagnose the disease based on the presenting signs and symptoms of the patient. This disease has no cure, although there are some treatments that could help reduce the progression of the disease, and also to improve the symptoms. Physicians do suggest patients undergo rehabilitation and counseling. They can also administer medications such as antipsychotics. Examples of these drugs include clozapine. Stem cell therapy has shown great potential for treating this mental disorder permanently. Statistics have shown that men are usually more affected by this mental disorder, as compared to females.
What Are The Early Signs Of Schizophrenia?
The signs of schizophrenia in most people develop slowly and progressively. However, it also suddenly develops in a small number of people. Most people do not realize they have schizophrenia until the disease reaches an advanced stage. Below are some of the early signs you might notice in a person that has the disease:
- They isolate themselves: One of the signs to notice in an individual that has schizophrenia is withdrawal from social gatherings. They tend to isolate themselves, and prefer to be by themselves.
- Depression: They have the tendency to display signs and symptoms of depression. This includes hopelessness, isolation; they might develop an abnormal sleeping habit.
- Lack of self-care: Persons affected with this would usually refuse to care for themselves. They might refuse to shower or leave their beds all day. They might do this for days.
- Sleep abnormality: Schizophrenia patients tend to present with sleeping problems in the early stage of the disease. This might manifest as insomnia, or sleeping for long hours.
- Lack of emotion: They also tend to be In addition, the patient’s face is usually flat and expressionless.
What Are The Symptoms Of Schizophrenia?
Patients present with various symptoms depending on the severity of the disease. However, there are always some general symptoms presented by patients affected with schizophrenia. Below are some of the symptoms;
- Hallucination: This is a condition in which patients believe in something that doesn’t exist. They perceive unreal sensations such as visions, sound, as though they really exist when they only exist in their minds. There are different types of hallucinations. These include auditory, visual, tactile and so on. Hallucinations can develop from any of the 5 senses of the body.
- Delusions: This is a condition in which an individual develops a false belief in something that isn’t based on reality. Delusion is one of the most common symptoms in schizophrenic patients. Examples of delusion include the following;
- The delusion of grandeur: This is the type of delusion in which an individual has a belief that they’re important They might feel like they own a bank, and could actually walk into the bank, to demand money.
- The delusion of reference: This is a condition in which an individual personalizes and attaches a special meaning to what doesn’t even concern them at all. An example is thinking a man on National TV, is specifically speaking to him/her.
- The delusion of persecution: This is a type of delusion in which patients believe that someone is coming to harm or kill them.
- The delusion of control: This is a type of delusion in which a patient believes he/she is being controlled by an external force. Some examples of delusion of control include though broadcasting, in which a patient feels his thoughts are being transmitted to others. Another variant is thought insertion, in which an individual feels some strange thoughts have been planted in their heads.
- Disorganized behavior: This is a condition in which an individual lacks the ability to take care of themselves. This doesn’t happen abruptly but develops gradually over a long time. Some of the symptoms of this behavior include;
- They tend to lack the ability to control their impulses.
- They often show a lack of emotions.
- They have reduced productivity, even at their job.
- They might also exhibit behavior that doesn’t make sense, and also
- Communication problems: Patients affected with schizophrenia have difficulty expressing themselves. This includes the inability to engage in a conversation.
- Lack of empathy: This is the condition in which a patient starts showing the inability to understand people’s feelings.
- Lack of interest in things going on around them: Schizophrenic patients always try to isolate themselves from society. They’d rather be by themselves.
What Are The Causes Of Schizophrenia?
The exact cause of schizophrenia isn’t known yet. However, some factors have been linked to the development of the disease. They include genetics and environmental factors.
- Environmental factors: Examples of these factors include chemicals and toxins people expose themselves to, especially when they are young. In addition, emotional trauma, or the loss of a loved one can contribute to the development of this disease.
- Genetics: Studies have shown that more than 80% of schizophrenic cases are due to genetics. People with a family history of schizophrenia, have a high risk of also developing the disease later in life.
- Chemical imbalance: The low level of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and glutamate also contributes to the development of schizophrenia.
Treatment Of Schizophrenia
Typically, the treatment of schizophrenia is lifelong, even when the symptoms. have improved. Doctors do administer medications such as antipsychotics, and so on. Stem cells have also proved to be helpful in the treatment of the disease
References
DeLisi, L. (2007). The Concept of Progressive Brain Change in Schizophrenia: Implications for Understanding Schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 34(2), pp.312-321.
Marcatili, M., Marsoner, F., D’Agostino, A., Karnavas, T., Bottai, D., Scarone, S. and Conti, L. (2016). Establishment of an induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line from a patient with Clozapine-responder Schizophrenia. Stem Cell Research, 17(3), pp.630-633.
ROLE OF GLIA IN SCHIZOPHRENIA. (2012). Schizophrenia Research, 136, p.S61.
Wright, R., Réthelyi, J., and Gage, F. (2014). Enhancing Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Models of Schizophrenia. JAMA Psychiatry, 71(3), p.334.
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