Abnormal Brains

Schizophrenia Bulletin presents yet another piece of the puzzle: “The evidence presented suggests that the brains of schizophrenic patients frequently contain abnormalities.”

Dr. Arnold Scheibel claims that in the section of the brain called the hippocampus, nerve cells in normal patients are aligned “almost like little soldiers.” But in the brains of some schizophrenic patients “the nerve cells and their processes are completely awry.” This, he believes, could account for the hallucinations and delusions of the schizophrenic. Other schizophrenics have been found to have enlarged brain cavities. Most intriguing of all is the discovery that the brains of the mentally ill may contain biochemical defects! (See the following article.)

To date, though, no single brain abnormality or biochemical defect has been found to be common to all schizophrenics. Doctors thus believe that schizophrenia may well be “many disorders, with a multitude of different causes.” (Schizophrenia: Is There an Answer?) A slow-acting virus, vitamin deficiencies, metabolic disturbances, food allergies​—these are just a few of the factors claimed to be involved in schizophrenia.

But though the exact cause and mechanism of the disease elude medical science, Dr. E. Fuller Torrey says: “Schizophrenia is a brain disease, now definitely known to be such. It is a real scientific and biological entity as clearly as diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and cancer are scientific and biological entities.” There is also evidence that depressive disorders are similarly linked to biology.

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The Chemistry of Schizophrenia

Our brain is an incredibly complex communications network, connecting billions of neurons, or nerve cells. Yet the neurons are not physically connected to one another. A gap measuring a mere millionth of an inch (0.000003 cm) separates their tentaclelike extensions, or dendrites. For nerve impulses to flow smoothly, nerve signals must jump this gap. To do so, the cell releases a battalion of chemical “messengers” called neurotransmitters. These “swim” across the gap and latch onto special receptors, each designed to accept a specific chemical.

In a normal brain, all this activity goes on in a smooth and orderly manner. In schizophrenics, however, neurotransmission seems to get out of control. Some feel an excess of dopamine overstimulates the neurons and causes them to “misfire.” Disjointed thoughts may result. Curiously, though, not all schizophrenics have high levels of dopamine in their brains. Could it be that certain brains are just supersensitive to dopamine? Or are there different types of schizophrenia? Or could it be that some other chemical abnormality combines with dopamine?

No one really knows. Nor does anyone really know whether bad chemistry causes schizophrenia or vice versa. Chemistry is just one piece of the schizophrenia puzzle.