Mysteries of the Mind

If you’ve ever been presented the opportunity to catch a viewing of the film, ‘A Beautiful Mind’, it escapes your reasoning the lead character is dealing with schizophrenia.  As landmark events begin to unfold, you piece together each clue noticed until the unforeseen realization occurs, “It was all of his own creation!”

Schizophrenia has a way of surprising researchers in that same aspect; It is difficult to analyze specific pieces of information regarding the disorder without being directed in a new path as previously trekked.  As new findings on this disorder are uncovered, scientists become more equipped with the knowledge to solve the mystery that is schizophrenia.

Psychology professor Dr. Jeffrey Bedwell sees this disorder as a force to be reckoned with as he and his research group begin research to understand the underlying brain abnormalities and causes of schizophrenia.  This research is made possible by a generous research grant through the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  The NIH is funding 26 research projects at the University of Central Florida with a grant totaling $7.2 million.

Although this disorder is believed to act as an umbrella term to house a range of disorders, Dr. Bedwell looks to focus on its link to early visual processing abnormalities. Bedwell states in his research proposal that “the proposed study will examine whether there are specific clusters of schizophrenia-related symptoms that relate to specific early visual processing abnormalities.” He hopes that through this research he and his research group will be able to “uncover new schizophrenia subtypes, thereby facilitating the search for more effective treatment and prevention programs.”

Through this extensive research, it is envisioned that the link between schizophrenia and early visual processing abnormalities will draw a stronger connection by which answers can finally be discovered.

“The proposed study will examine whether there are specific clusters of schizophrenia-related symptoms that relate to specific early visual processing abnormalities,” Bedwell said in his research proposal. “The results from this study will have strong potential to uncover new schizophrenia subtypes, thereby facilitating the search for more effective treatments and prevention programs.”