Schizophrenia


Aetiology

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Evidence for the Aetiological Theories: Social Defeat

The term 'Social Defeat' refers to the chronic stressful experience of being an outsider. It can occur when someone is forced into a subordinate position by the dominant group. It could therefore apply both to people moving to urban environments, as well as to people migrating to a new country.

Evidence from animal studies shows that rats and primates who are socially defeated have

  1.  increased dopamine in the prefrontal cortex
  2.  increased use of amphetamines and cocaine