Biological Evaluation - Dopamine Hypothesis

Question 1

Evaluate dopamine imbalances caused by genes…

Answer 1

Gottesman et al. (1991) looked at schizophrenia in increasingly related people, where he found that increased genetic similarity resulted in an increased occurrence of schizophrenia

Research looking for a candidate gene was disappointing as 108 loci were found

Schizophrenia is a complex matter and is caused by more than a few abnormal dopamine genes

Question 2

Evaluate measuring metabolites…

Answer 2

Hypothesis based on metabolite research, which involves measuring metabolite levels in cerebrospinal fluid

Diet and drug use may affect metabolite levels, and when conducted in a controlled environment HVA levels vary widely between participants

Question 3

Evaluate the role of serotonin…

Answer 3

Identified as a potential influence

Conventional antipsychotics blockade D2 receptors, but are not always beneficial

Atypical antipsychotics blockade both D2 and 5-HT2A receptors

Indicating that the dopamine hypothesis cannot explain schizophrenia on its own

Question 4

Evaluate whether dopamine is the cause or effect…

Answer 4

Proposed that dopamine imbalances are a symptom of schizophrenia

PET scans are yet to detect differences in dopamine activity in the brains of those with and without schizophrenia

May be some time before we know if dopamine imbalances are a cause or effect of schizophrenia