Is schizophrenia a work of a virus
Schizophrenia is a mental illness, which base has not been yet explicated. There were many theories concerning that matter. Perhaps most surprising is the one delivered by Fuller Torrey.
He is a psychiatrist with years of experience, the director of Stanley Medical Research Institute in Chevy Chase. His views on schizophrenia caused much confusion in the medical circle. Torres drew a hypothesis that this mental disorder, which activates in early adulthood, may be a consequence of a viral infection that was overcome in childhood. It has been scientifically proven that people who were born in winter or early spring are more vulnerable to schizophrenia.
Is the virus responsible for schizophrenia? Such a theory is still bewildering many doctors, not just psychiatrists. So far, they were more inclined to say that the disease is a consequence of genetics or improper upbringing. Torrey, however, brings a lot of cases where the childs behavior in early childhood and their development, till the activation of the disease allows to say that viruses initiate mental disorders, although he has never proven his conviction.
According to the scientist everything starts with a viral infection, endured in the first months of life. The child gets sick more often than others. Later, usually has problems with motor coordination and balance, clumsiness, shyness, and remembering. Also cases where only one twin is suffering from schizophrenia, while the other have never had any trouble with mental health, indicates that this disease can be triggered by a virus.
Although it seems that no virus would be able to cause such a mental disorder, Torrey’s hypothesis cannot be fully rejected.