5-HT1A receptors occur in several brain systems, including as autoreceptors that influence serotonin neuron activity. Some antipsychotics, such as aripiprazole, cariprazine and lurasidone, have partial agonist activity at this receptor. Researchers investigate possible contributions to…Continue Reading
Serotonin and dopamine systems influence one another through networks rather than operating independently. Activity at particular serotonin receptors can change dopamine release or the behaviour of circuits receiving dopamine. This is relevant to antipsychotics that…Continue Reading
Rare genetic variants are uncommon changes in DNA that can sometimes have larger effects than individual common variants. These include certain copy-number changes, where a section of genetic material is deleted or duplicated. Some are…Continue Reading
Trauma-informed care recognises that past harm can affect how a person experiences services, authority and loss of control. It emphasises safety, clear explanations, collaboration and choice wherever possible. It does not require everyone to disclose…Continue Reading
Gene–environment interaction means that the effect of a genetic difference may depend on environmental circumstances, or vice versa. Susceptibility to schizophrenia is thought to involve complex relationships between biology, development and experience. Stress, prenatal factors…Continue Reading
Dopamine signalling begins when a nerve cell releases dopamine into the space around another cell. Dopamine binds to receptors that change the receiving cell’s activity. The signal is shaped by release, receptor properties, reuptake and…Continue Reading
Prenatal brain development includes the production, migration and early organisation of nerve cells. Researchers study whether conditions during pregnancy can influence later susceptibility to schizophrenia. Areas of investigation include genetic factors, maternal health, nutrition and…Continue Reading
Dopamine-producing neurons form pathways that influence different brain regions. Common descriptions include nigrostriatal pathways involved in movement, mesolimbic and mesocortical pathways involved in motivation and cognition, and tuberoinfundibular signalling involved in prolactin regulation. These labels…Continue Reading
Childhood development includes changes in language, movement, learning and social understanding. Studies of schizophrenia sometimes identify average developmental differences before illness onset, but these findings overlap extensively with ordinary variation and other conditions. They cannot…Continue Reading
Dopamine helps the brain learn which outcomes are worth pursuing and how effort relates to reward. It contributes to prediction errors, which signal differences between expected and actual outcomes. Its role extends beyond feeling pleasure…Continue Reading