Ad Swaps 4. Subscription Information 5. Past Issues 6. There is no evidence schizophrenia is caused by a deficiency of any modern drug. Studies showed that twin pairs always had a concordance rate higher than non-identical twins, even when separated and reared in different families.
Psychosocial factors generate stress that in a vulnerable individual can aggravate the disease.
A gene is a portion of the chromosome which, when given the correct biochemical environment will do its job. The body contains genes that help make vitamin B3 from tryptophan, but if there is a deficiency of tryptophan it can not do its job so causes pellagra, one of the schizophrenic syndromes. If we remain on a diet of foods to which our bodies had been adapted over tens of thousands of years, schizophrenia would be very rare. It was not described medically until after 1800, but has become increasingly prevalent since then. People with the genetic potential for schizophrenia might consider the following.