Ⅴ Pathological Hypothesis: First/Second World Model, Time-delay Hypothesis, Traits of Neurons
In this section, the pathological hypothesis is introduced in the order of ①the process from ARMS to onset of schizophrenia, ②ego-disturbance which is characteristic to schizophrenia, ③depressive moods which are seen with schizophrenia.
First, pathological model of the process from ARMS to onset is explained. Man’s proper interpersonal-distance is considered to reflect the sensitivity of dopamine receptors. If he is sensitive, he may tend to take longer interpersonal-distance. Some people are sensitive to dopamine from birth (for example, with excessive dopamine receptors), and they have sensitive traits. Even if when they have the same experiences as others, they tend to emit excessive dopamine which makes them suffer. As a result, they tend to select a life style that deals with fewer interpersonal relationships. In a life tends to decline to isolation, they may become familiar with arts, nature, and animals. In this way, they grow up with sensitiveness to dopamine and they somehow acquire the way to live without the onset of schizophrenia. However, after the age of adolescence, living conditions change greatly. “Rolls and assignments which require interpersonal relationships are given,” “they meet opposite sex,” “chances in which activeness and self-duty are required increase,” etc., life and interpersonal relationships get much more complicated. The phase in which they can’t solve problems any more only by familiar withdrawal strategy emerges. In midst of this, dopamine is emitted excessively under strongly stressed situations concerning “sexual affairs, money, honor, and health”, and combined with sensitiveness towards dopamine, they face crisis of the onset of schizophrenia. In addition, it is easy to imagine these kinds of crises do exist prior to the obvious onset. Psychotic like experiences (PLEs, later ARMS : at risk mental state), which are attracting attention recently, possibly correspond to these situations.
Next is the pathological hypothesis of ego-disturbance, which is specific to schizophrenia. The animal’s nervous system (except for human), in general, forms a loop as ①reception of stimulations at the sensory organ→②conditional reaction in the brain→③reaction through kinetic system, autonomic nervous system, etc.→④real outcomes→⑤reception of stimulations at the sensory organ. Since there isn’t a part to guarantee the formation of self-consciousness in this loop, sense of active control of ego, which is obvious experience to human, can’t be explained.