MRIs show that people who are at risk of suffering from psychoses, such as schizophrenia for example, have dysfunctions in a specific area of the brain.
Schizophrenia, delusional disorder or schizoaffective problem: all are psychotic disorders. Detecting these diseases early makes it possible to better manage them. Researchers from the University of Missouri-Columbia publish the results of their study, which could improve screening. They note the existence of markers that can predict psychotic disorders.
An abnormal level of dopamine
“The major objective of our study, explains John Kerns, co-author, is to understand the origin of the risk of psychosis in order to avoid years of suffering.” The team of scientists started from an observation: psychotic disorders are associated with excessive production of dopamine in the striatum, a brain structure. This molecule allows communication between neurons and is linked to all our behaviors. The role of the striatum is to retain impressions concerning what we have experienced.
Misinterpretations
For the researchers, the abnormal level of dopamine modifies the memory preserved after certain experiences in psychotic people, and causes maladaptive behaviors because of bad perceptions of a situation. “Dysfunction is more visible when individuals have to perform tasks based on their perception of them, whether positive or negative,” adds the professor. These results were obtained by performing MRIs on patients with psychosis. The researchers now want to go further and study which treatments could reverse the trend and find “normal” MRIs.
Schizophrenia is the most common psychotic disorder. According to Inserm600,000 people would be affected in France and one in two would attempt suicide.
.
