Biological explanations for schizophrenia evaluation

Strength: there is strong evidence for genetic vulnerability to schizophrenia

• The Gottesman (1991) study clearly shows how genetic similarity and shared risk of schizophrenia are closely related
• Adoption studies such as that by Tienari et al (2004) show that children of schizophrenia sufferers are still at heightened risk of schizophrenia even when adopted into families with no history of schizophrenia
• There is overwhelming evidence for the idea that genetic factors make some people more vulnerable to schizophrenia; however, this does not mean that schizophrenia is entirely genetic

Strength: there is support for abnormal dopamine functioning in schizophrenia

• Dopamine antagonists like amphetamines that increase levels of dopamine…