MRI has become the method of choice for exploring the pathophysiology and the psychopathology of schizophrenia, because of its high contrast sensitivity and spatial resolution, in the absence of radiation exposure (Brambilla & Tansella …show more content…
Cardino and colleagues (1999) estimate 85% of the susceptibility to schizophrenia is genetic. Researching for clues at the molecular level, scientists were able to hone in on the interaction of two factors long associated with the disease: Disrupted-in-
Schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) protein, which is vital for brain development, and GABA, a brain chemical needed for normal brain function (Cardino 1999). It is known that the brains of people with schizophrenia differ from brains of those in the average population. Brain imaging scans have shown that some areas of the brain are smaller or malformed in those with schizophrenia (Cardino 1999).
The part of the brain that seems to be touched by schizophrenia is the hippocampus. This part of the brain is called the limbic system which is responsible for processing emotions and memories. The hippocampus is smaller in those with schizophrenia (Geddes, Xu-Feng, Newell 2014). In one study, even in children as young as 12, the difference in hippocampus size was seen. Moreover, the hippocampus continued to shrink in the 12 years of follow-up in the study (Geddes, Xu-Feng, Newell