Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental illness characterized by distortion of reality, disorganized thought patterns, social withdrawal, hallucinations, and poor judgment. Schizophrenia is one of the most devastating forms of mental illnesses. It occurs in approximately 1 percent of the population.

Schizophrenia includes a variety of syndromes, presented diff erently in each individual. Although the cause of this disorder has not been fully determined, some common changes do occur in the brains of patients suffering from schizophrenia, including reduction of the cortex (outer portion) of the temporal lobes, enlargement of the third and lateral ventricles, excessive dopamine secretion, and decrease blood fl ow to the front of the brain.

The cause of schizophrenia may be genetic, along with brain damage in the fetus caused by perinatal complications or viral infections in the mother during pregnancy. Th e onset of schizophrenia usually occurs between ages 15 and 25 in men, and between 25 and 35 in women. Stressful events appear to initiate the onset and recurrence of the disorder.