The Key to Unlocking the Hidden World of Schizophrenias Has Been Found

Schizophrenia, a devastating mental illness that affects 1 percent of adults, or about 2.5 million in the United States, usually begins in the late teens or 20s and is marked by psychotic delusions as well as social withdrawal and cognitive impairment.

Contrary to public perception, schizophrenia is not split personality or multiple personality. The vast majority of people with schizophrenia are not violent and do not pose a danger to others. Schizophrenia is not caused by childhood experiences, poor parenting or lack of willpower, nor are the symptoms identical for each person.

The treatment for Schizophrenia was permanently institutionalizing these patients. Seclusion, restraints, and other Medieval ‘tortures’ were used as therapy. However, all of this changed in the early 1950’s. Thorazine was discovered; a god sent to many of these patients and their families.

Drugs, since Thorazine in the early 1950’s have all worked on dopamine receptors. While these drugs have had similar effects on the delusions and hallucinations of schizophrenia, they do not impact the ‘negative’ symptoms at all. Negative symptoms consist of the loss of emotion, inability to feel pleasure, and lack of motivation. These are the symptoms which cause the patient to have difficulty in maintaining any meaningless work, or having a meaningful relationship. These are the symptoms which contribute to the patient being a burden on their family, and contributing to significant costs for society as a whole.

The available anti-psychotic drugs also have serious side effects ranging from the older drugs such as Thorazine which caused severe movement disorders, to the newer drugs which contribute to obesity and metabolic disorders.

Now, a new drug appears. It is so new it doesn’t have a name yet, but is called LY2140023. It does not act on the dopamine receptors, but on the glutamate delivery system of the pre-frontal cortex. Glutamate is an amino acid, and has been known to be involved in the schizophrenic symptoms; however, it has been seen as so complicated, with so many sub-groups related to it, that no drug has evolved which can interact meaningfully: Until now.

It has the same effect as older drugs on delusions and hallucinations, while also attacking the negative symptoms which impact adversely on the quality of life. Additionally, none of the traditional side effects are seen.

A longer period to study the side effects is required before marketing this drug. However, if it works, it is the first drug in its category, since the inception of Thorazine to hit the markets.