What neurotransmitter is increased in patients with schizophrenia?

Dopamine is the neurotransmitter that is notably increased in patients with schizophrenia, particularly within certain pathways in the brain. This increase in dopamine is often associated with the positive symptoms of schizophrenia, such as hallucinations and delusions. The dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia posits that an overactivity of dopamine transmission in the mesolimbic pathway contributes significantly to these symptoms. This understanding has led to the development of antipsychotic medications that primarily target dopamine receptors, aiming to reduce this overactivity and alleviate symptoms.

While serotonin, GABA, and acetylcholine play roles in various aspects of brain function and may be involved in the complexities of schizophrenia, their direct relationship is not as prominent in the context of the hallmark symptoms associated with the disorder. For instance, serotonin may influence mood and anxiety but is not the central neurotransmitter driving the psychotic features seen in schizophrenia. GABA, primarily an inhibitory neurotransmitter, is involved in regulating anxiety and preventing excessive neural activity, but a direct increase related to schizophrenia is less established. Acetylcholine is involved in cognitive processes, and while it can be implicated in cognitive deficits associated with schizophrenia, it does not have the same direct association with the core symptoms of the disorder as dopamine does.