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What does it mean to say that there is a neural correlation in schizophrenia? What are the biological causes of schizophrenia? We will look at a causal association between neurophysical abnormalities and schizophrenia as part of our discussion. With evaluations, we will additionally consider the strength and limitations of the neurological correlate argument. But first, let us define neural correlates.
Neural correlates are instances where brain structure differences correlate with certain psychological disorders or symptoms. You may have encountered the word ‘correlate’ in your research methods lessons – it simply means that there is a reciprocal relationship.
It is important to note that correlation does not equal causation!
We can find an example of neural correlates in people suffering from anxiety disorders. The volume of grey matter in areas such as the amygdala (which helps process frightening or threatening stimuli) correlates with the likelihood of developing an anxiety disorder (Spampinato et al., 2009).
A 2002 study by E. Fuller Torrey examined neurological differences in schizophrenic patients who were not prescribed antipsychotic medications than healthy controls. For this purpose, he reviewed 65 studies on the topic.
Torrey found ‘significant abnormalities’ in the brains of people with schizophrenia compared to people without schizophrenia in these studies. He concluded that there were many, interconnected neurophysical differences in the brains of schizophrenic patients that increased the likelihood of developing the disorder. These included the basal ganglia, medial temporal lobe, prefrontal cortex and thalamus.
Because these studies were conducted on participants who had never received antipsychotic medication, Torrey also concluded that the neurophysical abnormalities in these participants were inherently part of the disorder and not a side effect of treatment.
Torrey also found that in schizophrenia patients, the ventricles in the brain (fluid-filled cavities in the brain that help supply the brain with vital nutrients and eliminate toxins) are 15% larger, meaning that their brains weigh less than those of neurotypical people. A link has been found between enlarged ventricles in schizophrenia and loss of grey matter in some brain areas. Grey matter is involved in the control of movements, memories, and emotions. It plays a vital role in normal daily functioning.
Torrey (2002) found 'significant abnormalities’ in the brains of people with schizophrenia, Flaticon
There is substantial evidence that brain structure or functioning abnormalities cause schizophrenia.
One study, in particular, bears witness to this. Let’s have a look.
This 1990 twin study found that in 15 pairs of twins, one of whom was schizophrenic and the other non-schizophrenic, 12 of them had significant differences in ventricular size on MRI scans. These differences were not present in the seven control twin pairs studied.
This study suggests that there are neural correlates for schizophrenia. Since this is a twin study, it is reasonable to assume that these neurophysical differences cause schizophrenia or that schizophrenia causes them. It is unlikely due to individual biological differences or external factors since twins are genetically identical and usually grow up in a similar environment.
Reliability is another strength of this study. The method used was MRI brain imaging, which is highly scientific due to its objective and controlled study method. This makes it more likely to obtain similar results if the study were repeated.
Is our biology to blame for our actions? Shouldn’t we also consider environmental factors? After all, do neurological differences cause schizophrenia or vice versa? Let us add the opposite stance to our evaluation and find the answers ourselves.
Neural correlates as an explanation for schizophrenia is a biologically deterministic theory, i.e., it supports the notion that our thoughts and behaviours are dictated purely by biological factors rather than our own free will.
Biological determinism can negatively impact attempts to treat harmful behaviours and mental disorders.
Suppose someone is undergoing family therapy for schizophrenia, but believes that their neurology dictates their condition. In that case, they may not even try the treatment that could have helped them.
Moreover, biological determinism has negative implications for our justice system. Suppose we conclude that behaviour is biologically determined and does not require human decision making. In that case, it will become increasingly difficult to justify punishment for severe crimes because the offender might cite biologically deterministic ideas as an excuse.
As mentioned earlier, we cannot yet determine whether schizophrenia causes these neurological differences or the other way around. This makes it challenging to apply this theory to treating schizophrenic symptoms.
Although there is ample scientific evidence to suggest that these neurological differences likely contribute to schizophrenia, this theory is limited because it cannot explain why these differences exist. Therefore, more research needs to be done to investigate this further.
Another limitation is that this theory does not consider environmental factors that may contribute to the development of schizophrenia. This means that a treatment developed based on this theory may not work because environmental factors are not considered and could become a confounding variable (an external factor that affects an outcome).For example, a 2013 study by Vilain et al. found that some environmental factors influence the occurrence of schizophrenia. This shows that we cannot disregard these factors. Thus, the fact that this theory does not acknowledge them is a limitation.
Is schizophrenia a product of mere biological factors, or should we consider the environment too?, KG - StudySmarter Originals (Images from Canva and Pixabay)
Since neural correlates do not prove causality, it is challenging to perform treatments based on this theory. All this theory does at this point is help us understand the neural differences between schizophrenic and neurotypical people. Still, it does not provide us with information we can use practically.
Suppose further research were to be done to investigate whether there are causal links between brain structure and schizophrenia. In that case, it could help us develop more medical treatments for the disease, but this is not currently possible.
Neural correlates are instances where brain structure differences correlate with psychological disorders or symptoms. People with schizophrenia are more likely to have enlarged ventricles within their brains. This correlation is an example of neural correlates.
Neural correlates describe the concept that specific structural differences within the brain can cause certain symptoms or disorders.
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