Discuss the biological explanation for schizophrenia taking in to account genetics and brain structure

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 Discuss the biological explanation for schizophrenia taking in to account genetics and brain structure

Schizophrenia is a complex illness that affects people’s moods, feelings, perceptions, thoughts, behaviour and ability to communicate. Sufferers are usually withdrawn and prefer to be left alone and are not especially prone to violence.

One biological explanation involves genetics to describe how schizophrenia occurs. This theory relies on twin studies, family studies and adoption studies to provide support for their opinions. Gottesman et al (1987) constructed a family study to investigate the genetic component of schizophrenia. The results showed that for closer relations, there was a higher concordance rate. This concludes that genetic factors do play a moderate role in family patterns of schizophrenia.

Gottesman also reported that in twins, the concordance rate for monozygotic twins, the concordance rate was 46%, whereas the concordance rate for dizygotic twins was only 17%. Rosenthal (1963) also found a case of female schizophrenic quadruplets.

This makes the evidence for a genetic basis for schizophrenia stronger. However, they only looked at three studies, which is still a very small number.

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We cannot base our opinions on concordance rates because they suggest that there are other factors that influence schizophrenia, therefore it can be considered quite vague. Most twins also share very similar environments than siblings so this must also be taken into account.

Particularly for early studies, sophisticated genetic testing was very difficult to distinguish MZ and DZ twins, especially at birth. Some of the statistics for MZ twins may actually be DZ twins and vice versa.

We tend to assume that MZ twins are treated more alike because they are MZ twins. Lytton (1977) turned this on its ...

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