Schizophrenia

The schizophrenic psychoses give rise to many medical, social, economic and humanitarian problems. The schizophrenias are chronic life-long illnesses. There are still no causal treatments. Research in the biology of the schizophrenias is rapidly developing. Since the dopamine hypothesis was first suggested in 1965 a great deal of information has accumulated describing dopamine receptors, subtypes and metabolism. In other fields, such as the neuroanatomy of the schizophrenias, the pharmacology of antipsychotic drugs, the various brain imaging techniques and also in genetics, a great amount of detailed information is now available. Investigation of the neurobiology of the schizophrenias is still rapidly developing. An attempt to form a synthesis of the available information is greatly needed. In June 1994, 30 scientists from different fields of research joined the symposium in order to discuss their results from an integrated point of view, as well as to suggest strategies for further research. Their contributions to this book represent up-to-date research in the wide spectrum of schizophrenia research.