NEURAL CORRELATES AND THE DOPAMINE HYPOTHESIS

The dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia has evolved from its original form, which linked dopamine overactivity in the mesolimbic system to positive symptoms, to the reformulated dopamine hypothesis, which also recognises dopamine underactivity in the mesocortical pathway as a cause of negative symptoms. Further research into neural correlates has identified glutamate dysregulation, where reduced glutamate activity may contribute to cognitive and emotional deficits. These insights highlight schizophrenia as a disorder involving a complex interplay of neurotransmitters beyond just dopamine.