Brain damage in schizophrenia

2001/11/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Osasuna

Schizophrenia is a complex disease related to serious disorders of brain function. The origins of the disease are still unknown, but thanks to magnetic resonance, researchers at the University of California have studied the damage that the disease produces in the brain.

To do this, they have performed magnetic resonance with shy schizophrenics and several healthy young people for six years, comparing the evolutions of their brains. In the case of schizophrenics, it is observed that the loss of gray matter was 10% and in the case of healthy, only 1%. In addition, in the case of schizophrenics, the loss of gray matter is more widespread in the brain.

For example, the region that controls eye movement loses 5% each year. This can explain the uncontrolled eye movements of some patients.