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A study carried out by The University of Western Australia has provided compelling evidence that congenital/early cortical blindness – that is when people are blind from birth or shortly after—is protective against schizophrenia.
The unusual discovery has fascinated scientists and may lead to a better understanding of what causes schizophrenia – a question that has baffled scientists for decades.
Schizophrenia is characterised by symptoms such as losing touch with reality, hearing voices and having visual hallucinations. However, despite numerous bodies of research, the exact cause still remains a mystery.
Lead author Professor Vera Morgan from the UWA Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology Research Unit in the Schools of Population and Global Health and Medicine said they also found no one with congenital or early cortical blindness had developed any other psychotic illnesses.
Can being born blind protect people from schizophrenia?
British Psychological Society Digest Report
[Abstract]: Blindness, Psychosis, and the Visual Construction of the World
[Source]: The University of Western Australia
I didn't know about this nor did I make such a connection. Has anyone here observed this connection, that blindness prevents schizophrenia ??
(Score: 5, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 25 2019, @08:50AM (3 children)
If this map [wikipedia.org] is correct the data don't support your theory. The page contains a link to the WHO data the map is based on.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 25 2019, @10:47AM (1 child)
Awww, you and your facts!
(Score: 2) by Coward, Anonymous on Friday October 25 2019, @09:51PM
GP wrote:
That is a conditional statement rather than a "fact". A fact is something that we absolutely know to be true, like 1+1=2. A WHO map does not fall in the same category. There are all kinds of sampling and bias issues that could turn this map on its head. The proper term for the map would be "evidence" against my theory. Oh well, it's just a theory that may or may not be true.
(Score: 2) by Coward, Anonymous on Saturday October 26 2019, @04:17AM
Thanks for the map, but I find it hard to believe that it's possible to know the true rate of schizophrenia in poor countries where it usually goes undiagnosed. As usual, the justification for this essential claim is hidden deep in some reference.