Early onset schizophrenia (II): Etiological considerations

Etiology of early-diagnosed schizophrenia is still vaguely known. Researchers are mostly focused on three groups of etiological factors: genetics and different perinatal brain disorders, neurodevelopment theory and neurotransmitters misbalance. In the families with early-diagnosed schizophrenia, this disorder would be developed only in direct descendants and not in adopted children. Researchers suggested two models of genetic heredity: monogenetic model with incomplete penetration and poly genetic with continually distributed expression in population. SCH gene loci linked with chromosomes 6,8,13 is considered to be of significant importance for schizophrenia. Neuro-pathological studies underline that cortical atrophy could be the key factor in insufficient cognitive and conative functioning as well as disproportion in dopaminergic, serotonergic and glutaminergic pathways and regulatory protein DARPP/32.