2. Causes
• Unsure about
what causes it
• Genes play a role
• A persons
environment
• Genetic mutations
cause the brain to
develop abnormally
3. People
• Begins before age
45
• Equal rates among
men and women
• Childhood-onset
schizophrenia
starts after the age
of 5
4. Sympto
ms
• No incubation period
• Tense, withdrawn, trouble sleeping and
making friends
• Hallucinations and delusions
5. Diagnosis
• No medical tests
• Doctors use interviews to find out if a
person has schizophrenia
• Brain scans rule out other diseases
6. Chronic
• Does not just go away
• Medication helps treat symptoms
• People learn to deal with symptoms
7. The Brain
• Brain does not develop normally
• Brain has too much dopamine
• Neurotransmitters misfire and alter
chemical balance
• Misfiring causes behavioral problems
9. Treatment
• Medication is the most
important
• Therapy
• Hospitalization
• Schizophrenia cannot
kill people, but it can
lead to people
committing suicide
10. Treatment
• Medication is the most
important
• Therapy
• Hospitalization
• Schizophrenia cannot
kill people, but it can
lead to people
committing suicide