Schizophrenia is caused by over activity in which of the following dopaminergic systems?
High-Yield Explanation
Only positive symptoms are caused by dopaminergic excess in Mesolimbic pathway. Positive symptoms of schizophrenia are caused by a hyperdopaminergic state in mesolimbic tract Negative symptoms of schizophrenia are caused by a hypodopaminergic state in mesocoical tract Blockade of dopamine receptors by antipyschotics in nigrostriatal pathway causes extrapyramidal side effects Blocakde of dopamine receptors by antipsychotics in tuberoinfundibular pathway causes hyperprolactinemia Dopamine levels in Mesolimbic pathway Mesocoical pathway Nigrostriatal pathway Tubuloinfundibular pathway Normal N N N N Schizophrenia | (positive symptoms) | (negative symptoms) N N Typical Antipsychotics | - improvement in positive symptoms ||- worsening of negative symptoms |- movement side effects like EPS |- Hyperprolactinemia Atypical Antipsychotics |- improvement in positive symptoms |- improvement in negative symptoms No change- less movement side effects No change- less prolactin side effects