From dopamine to salience to psychosis--linking biology, pharmacology and phenomenology of psychosis.
Schizophr Res November 1, 2005 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2005.01.003 via PubMed
Summary
The paper proposes a framework linking dopamine function, salience processing, and psychotic symptoms. It argues that dysregulated dopamine transmission leads to aberrant assignment of salience to otherwise neutral stimuli, which can give rise to delusions and hallucinations. This model integrates biological, pharmacological, and phenomenological perspectives on psychosis, suggesting that antipsychotic medications work by dampening this aberrant salience. The account provides a unified explanation for how neurochemical changes translate into the subjective experiences characteristic of psychosis.
Study at a glance
| Design | theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key finding | Dopamine dysregulation leads to aberrant salience attribution, which underlies the formation of psychotic symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations. |
Abstract
From dopamine to salience to psychosis--linking biology, pharmacology and phenomenology of psychosis.