Author:

Keywords:

aetiology, animal models, maternal deprivation, neurodevelopment, review, schizophrenia, auditory-evoked potentials, prepulse inhibition, latent inhibition, startle response, rats, phencyclidine, vulnerability, pathogenesis, dopamine, Science & Technology, Life Sciences & Biomedicine, Neurosciences, Neurosciences & Neurology, AUDITORY-EVOKED POTENTIALS, PREPULSE INHIBITION, LATENT INHIBITION, STARTLE RESPONSE, RATS, PHENCYCLIDINE, VULNERABILITY, PATHOGENESIS, DOPAMINE, Neurology & Neurosurgery

Abstract:

Schizophrenia is a complex disorder affecting all domains of human life. Distinction is made between positive (delusions, hallucinations), negative (blunted affect, avolition, social withdrawal), cognitive (attention, executive function, thought disorder) and affective symptoms (anxiety, depression). The vulnerability-stress model is generally used to describe the evolution of the disorder over time and to guide psychosocial and pharmacological treatment. The biological vulnerability to stress is determined by the interaction of genetic and environmental influences. A neuro-developmental model is used to explain the observed structural and functional abnormalities in the brain of schizophrenic patients.