behavioural
epigenetics
The author, Margaret Tyson, was an honorary researcher at the Institute of Cancer Sciences, The University of Manchester and now researches epigenetics particularly of cancer and schizophrenia. She also runs Manchester Amputee Fitnesss Initiative and Karen's Page.
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Schizophrenia Summary
Stress to schizophrenia
The previous page indicated that behaviour may alter genes through epigenetic change and may contribute to schizophrenia and psychoses.
This page summarises how stress through abnormal behaviour may lead to epigenetic changes through a cycle that may lead to schizophrenia and psychosis. Details of how this may happen are given on the following pages.
The diagram below graphically summarises a cycle that may lead to the development of schizophrenia. Each time the cycle takes place schizophrenic symptoms may worsen because of the need to top up dopamine possibly leding to a type of addiction.
Click on the diagram to access a more detailed description and references.
Diagram: Proposed behavioural mechanisms leading to epigenetically derived schizophrenia
