“Schizophrenia” Part II: A Gestalt Analysis and Critique of Neurobiological Variables

A number of hypotheses have been postulated over time to explain the clinical expression of schizophrenia. In this article, we discuss the neurodevelopmental (pre and perinatal), neuroanatomical (enlarged ventricles and reduced whole brain volume), neurochemical (dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine), and neuropsychological (learning and memory, theory of mind) factors that are often correlated with schizophrenic presentations. While many of these factors are seen in many schizophrenic individuals, there is no one neurological marker seen consistently across patients. As a result, neurological evidence may help one understand the experience of schizophrenic individuals, but it is unable to explain fully the disorder's etiology.