Why blind people don't develop Schizophrenia?
Why blind people don't develop Schizophrenia?
While schizophrenia is an uncommon mental problem, it is nonetheless serious and debilitating. Studies reveal that up to this day, no person who has been born blind has ever developed this disorder, raises questions. Does being blind protective against schizophrenia?
While the exact mechanism by which congenital blindness prevents onset of schizophrenia remained unsolved, experts agree that being born blind does have an impact to the way the brain operates. It is thought that since taking in information through visual input isn't possible, the brain has to adapt and utilize other senses, particularly the sense of hearing. Consequently, leading to enhancement in the functioning of certain brain regions.
However, loosing one's sense of sight later in life has the opposite outcome in that it increases the person's chance of developing schizophrenia and hallucinations. In fact, studies involving blindfolding people for extended period of time induced their subjects to perceive unreal visual inputs.
