| Schizophrenia affects around 1% of the
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| | schizophrenia, such as dopamine,
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| population of this planet. It is a
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| | glutamate and GABA. Other genes code for
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| chronic, severe, and disabling mental
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| | proteins involved in the brain
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| disorder. It has also been recognized for
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| | development, while others code for
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| centuries, maybe not with the same
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| | proteins of yet undetermined function".
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| nomenclature, but most likely with the
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| | (NIMH - National Institute of Mental
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| same symptoms. However, the complex
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| | Health**).
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| mechanisms which cause this condition
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| | Facts and the treatments
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| remain a mystery of their own... but for
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| | Schizophrenia is a chronic and disabling
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| how long?
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| | disorder, but nevertheless misinterpreted
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| History of Schizophrenia: from demons to
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| | by the general population. In fact,
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| genes
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| | between 25 and 40% of people who
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| The symptoms commonly associated with
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| | experience a psychotic episode not only
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| schizophrenia are on the records of many
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| | recover, but never experience a second
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| ancient civilizations, such as the
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| | episode. In many instances, patients
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| Greeks, Romans and Egyptians. The causes
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| | enter hospital care voluntarily, and are
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| for this mental disorder have been
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| | able to function normally when not
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| associated with demons, gods, poisonous
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| | experiencing an episode. Although people
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| substances, dark creatures and more - but
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| | with schizophrenia are more likely to
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| until today, there are still no definite
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| | attempt suicide, they are not
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| answers. There is evidence, however, to
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| | particularly prone to violence or crimes.
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| the different treatments tested (and
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| | Over the last few years, new
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| used) in several patients. Drilling holes
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| | anti-psychotic medications have been
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| in a patient's skull and performing dance
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| | developed - such as clozapine,
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| rituals were some of them.
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| | risperidone and olanzapine. These drugs
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| The term 'Schizophrenia' (derived from
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| | do not cure schizophrenia, but they
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| the Greek words 'schizo'=split and
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| | effectively alleviate its symptoms and
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| 'phrene'=mind) was only created in 1911
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| | extrapyramidal side effects (such as
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| by Eugene Bleuler, a Swiss physician.
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| | rigidity, muscle spasms and tremors)
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| Bleuler changed the term 'dementia
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| | which used to appear in older drug
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| praecox' created by Emile Kraepelin - the
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| | treatments.
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| German physician who first classified
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| | Psychosocial treatment is also important
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| mental disorders in categories - because
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| | in the management of schizophrenia.
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| the disorder was not a dementia. Later
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| | Rehabilitation and substance abuse
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| on, both scientists sub-classified
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| | treatment are helpful in integrating the
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| schizophrenia into categories based on
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| | patient to the society, and improving the
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| specific symptoms, three of which were
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| | patient's capability to counteract the
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| delineated in the DSM-III (Diagnostic and
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| | degenerative effects of the disease.
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| Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders):
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| | Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) can
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| disorganized, catatonic, paranoid,
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| | also help. This treatment seems to be
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| residual, and undifferentiated.
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| | effective in reducing the severity of
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| Kraepelin's classification remains
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| | symptoms and decreasing the risk of
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| influential and it is the basis of the
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| | relapse in patients which symptoms
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| DSM-IV.
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| | persist even when they take medication.
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| Nowadays, it is believed that
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| | Furthermore, the efficacy of treatment
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| schizophrenia is caused by a mixture of
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| | can be vastly improved with the
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| gene interaction and environmental
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| | participation of family and friends.
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| influence. However, it is not clear how
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| | Because the positive symptoms of this
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| much influence each of these causes
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| | mental illness are easy to distinguish,
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| wields.
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| | both patient and relatives are able to
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| The Symptoms
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| | act when noticing the prevalence of
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| The symptoms of schizophrenia are divided
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| | different behaviour.
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| into three categories: positive, negative
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| | Overcoming schizophrenia: too far or too
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| and cognitive.
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| | close?
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| Positive symptoms are volatile, easy to
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| | The future of schizophrenia runs parallel
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| recognise and normally involve some loss
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| | to most research in mental health. With
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| of contact with reality. Hallucinations
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| | the advent of new brain mapping and
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| (distortions of the human senses),
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| | scanning technologies, such as PET, MRI,
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| delusions (false personal beliefs) and
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| | fMRI and the developments in genetic
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| movement disorders are examples of such
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| | research - scientists are narrowing their
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| symptoms.
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| | focus to the interaction between neurons
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| Negative symptoms are harder to recognise
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| | and how each of our cognitive functions
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| as they relate to some loss in abilities
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| | affect neurotransmission at a molecular
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| such as planning, speaking, expressing
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| | level. With this in hand, there are
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| emotions or being motivated. These
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| | expectations that the approach to
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| symptoms can easily be misconnected to
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| | schizophrenia will be more specific and
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| laziness, depression or other conditions
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| | efficient - but to predict cure at this
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| which involve similar behaviour. The term
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| | stage, is a long shot.
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| is referred as 'negative' due to the
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| | Nevertheless, there may be more
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| reductions in 'normality' - both
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| | excitement in the other side of the
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| emotional and behavioural.
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| | spectrum. Identifying the exact gene
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| Cognitive symptoms relate to problems in
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| | combination which increases the incidence
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| normal cognitive functions. In many cases
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| | of this condition, and the role of
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| these cognitive impairments are only
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| | non-genetic factors, may still seem
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| detected through neuropsychological
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| | distant. However, another solution could
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| tests. Such symptoms include problems
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| | effectively help the vast population
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| with memory, attention, decision-making
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| | suffering from the symptoms of
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| and more.
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| | schizophrenia.
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| The Causes
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| | The general thinking is that the best way
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| As previously noted, schizophrenia is
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| | to combat an illness is to develop a
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| believed to be caused by a mixture of
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| | cure. What about instead of finding the
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| gene and environmental influence. Davies
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| | cure, combating the symptoms? That is the
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| stated that "schizophrenia appears to be
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| | approach used for most illnesses which
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| caused by abnormalities in the
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| | cure is yet to be discovered, and it
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| development of the brain that become
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| | could be a temporary solution to improve
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| manifest in late adolescence or the early
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| | the lives of millions. Cognitive
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| twenties, a time when a differentiation
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| | enhancers, such as nootropics (cited in a
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| and maturation of the central nervous
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| | previous edition of this ezine) and
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| system is at its most complex" (Davies
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| | cognitive enhancing methods - such as the
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| 2005 p. 210*).
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| | use of electric waves in specific brain
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| However, the disorder is not
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| | regions - could counteract some of the
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| characterised by a single predominant
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| | debilitating symptoms of schizophrenia.
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| gene - it relies on the combination of a
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| | Most of these techniques are still being
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| group of genes, each exerting a small
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| | tested, but they are much closer to
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| effect. These gene combinations, along
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| | reality and have already predictions to
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| with the presence non-genetic factors
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| | reach the market within a few years.
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| such as exposure to viruses or drug
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| | Although there have been some studies in
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| abuse, play a key role of increasing
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| | cognitive enhancing drugs, new drug
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| vulnerability.
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| | classes are on the scene - and brain
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| Current research is attempting to
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| | science and pharmacology are allowing
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| identify the genes which could be
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| | further discoveries in the field. What
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| directly involved with the incidence of
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| | will be the next step? That might not be
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| schizophrenia and psychotic episodes.
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| | the one million dollar question, but
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| There are candidate genes - however there
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| | perhaps it holds the answer which over 65
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| is not enough evidence to prove that
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| | million people have been waiting for.
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| these genes in fact increase risk. "Some
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| | Sources *Davies, J. (November 2005) A
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| genes that have recently been associated
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| | Manual of Mental Health Care in General
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| with schizophrenia code for enzymes and
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| | Practice, Commonwealth Department of
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| proteins that help brain cells
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| | Health and Ageing, Canberra.
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| communicate with each other.
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| | ** National Institute of Mental Health
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| Some of these enzymes and proteins are
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| | Website (
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| involved in neurotransmitter systems that
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| | Subscribe to our FREE eZine.
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| have long been implicated in
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