Transfer #16

Subject: From your good buddy Wikipedia Posted Date: Friday, January 27, 2006 - 1:07 PM

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by persistent defects in the perception or expression of reality. A person experiencing untreated schizophrenia typically demonstrates disorganized thinking, and may also experience delusions or auditory hallucinations. Although the disorder primarily affects cognition, it can also contribute to chronic problems with behavior or emotions. Due to the many possible combinations of symptoms, it is difficult to say whether it is in fact a single psychiatric disorder; and Eugen Bleuler deliberately called the disease "the schizophrenias" (plural) when he coined the present name.

Diagnosis is based on the self-reported experiences of the patient, in combination with secondary signs observed by a psychiatrist or other competent clinician such as a doctor of psychology. There is no objective biological test for schizophrenia, though studies suggest that genetics and biochemistry are important contributing factors. Current research into the development of the disorder often focuses on the role of neurobiology, although a reliable and identifiable organic cause has not been found. In the absence of objective laboratory tests to confirm the diagnosis, some question the legitimacy of schizophrenia's status as a disease.

The term "schizophrenia" translates roughly as "shattered mind," and comes from the Greek .. in popular culture the two are often confused. Although schizophrenia often leads to social or occupational dysfunction, there is little association of the illness with a predisposition toward aggressive behavior.