Disorders Library
intermediatepsychoticdisorderclinical

Schizophrenia

Dopamine hypothesis, glutamate dysfunction, reduced gray matter, disrupted connectivity, enlarged ventricles.

Schizophrenia neuroimaging

© Blausen · CC-BY

Schizophrenia is a psychotic disorder involving hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thought, and negative symptoms. The dopamine hypothesis — mesolimbic hyperdopaminergia and mesocortical hypodopaminergia — remains influential alongside glutamate NMDA receptor hypofunction models. Progressive gray matter loss, enlarged ventricles, and disrupted white matter connectivity are hallmark findings. Early intervention programs improve long-term outcomes.

Symptoms

HallucinationsDelusionsDisorganized thinkingNegative symptomsCognitive deficits

Neurology

Dopamine hypothesis, glutamate dysfunction, reduced gray matter, disrupted connectivity, enlarged ventricles.

Treatments

AntipsychoticsPsychosocial interventionsCognitive behavioral therapySupported employment

Gallery

Cortical thinning

Cortical thinning

Synaptic dysfunction

Synaptic dysfunction

Striatal dopamine

Striatal dopamine

Videos

2-Minute Neuroscience: Prefrontal Cortex

Neuroscientifically Challenged

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2-Minute Neuroscience: Basal Ganglia

Neuroscientifically Challenged

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