Schizophrenia
Cause
Experts don't know what causes schizophrenia. It may have different causes for different people.
- Genetics: Your chances of getting schizophrenia are greater if your parent, brother, or sister has it. But most people who have a family member with schizophrenia don't get it.
- Brain chemistry and structure: It's possible that Reference neurotransmitters Opens New Window, which send messages between parts of the brain, don't work the right way in people who have schizophrenia.
- Problems during pregnancy: Schizophrenia may be related to problems during the mother's pregnancy that can harm a baby's developing brain and Reference nervous system Opens New Window. These problems include poor nutrition or a Reference viral infection Opens New Window during pregnancy.
Schizophrenia is not caused by anything you did, by personal weakness or bad choices, or by the way your parents raised you.
| By: | Reference Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: Reference August 31, 2012 |
| Medical Review: | Reference Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Reference Lisa S. Weinstock, MD - Psychiatry |
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