Schizophrenia Daily News Blog: Schizophrenia and Drug Addiction may Co-Occur Due to Disturbance in Part of the Brain

Psychiatric problems often occur comorbidly, or in association with one another. A common comorbid disorder in association with mental illness is drug addiction. It has been hypothesized that this may be because people who suffer from mental illness are more susceptible to drug use and addiction because of their compromised mental state and/or the difficulty they experience in dealing with their illness. A new study further investigated this comorbidity, and found that a connection between mental illness and drug addiction may exist prior to the development of either. Specifically, the study examined rats and found that those with a damaged amygdala at birth were more likely to exhibit adult behavior that was abnormal in relation to fear, as well as, an increased sensitivity to cocaine.

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Schizophrenia Daily News Blog: Schizophrenia and Drug Addiction may Co-Occur Due to Disturbance in Part of the Brain