Understanding Schizophrenia

Seminar paper from the year 2018 in the subject Medicine - Neurology, Psychiatry, Addiction, grade: 1, Egerton University, language: English, abstract: Schizophrenia is a psychotic disorder affecting all people, worldwide. Its prevalence is higher among males than females in which its onset is 25 years and 27 years in men and women, respectively. The causes of this disorder are associated with genetic and environmental factors. Some genetic factors increase vulnerability of an individual to the disease, whereas environmental factors trigger the disease in vulnerable individuals. Its main signs and symptoms include delusions, disorganized speech, catatonic behavior, and hallucinations. Diagnosis of schizophrenia is based on DSM and ICD-10 criteria, and it involves differential diagnosis of other psychotic and medical issues. Overall, the pathophysiology of this illness is related to abnormalities in brain structure, neurotransmitter and immune system. As such, treatment aims at addressing the symptoms of the disorder in which antipsychotic medication and psychosocial interventions serve as the main treatment approaches. Regarding prognosis of schizophrenia, inadequate access to healthcare increases mortality. Suicide is one of the main causes of mortality among people with schizophrenia. Conclusively, schizophrenia presents immense challenges, but research has been instrumental in improving its diagnosis and treatment.