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Re:The Insanity Virus by mkramlich on Wednesday November 24, 2010 @08:01PM (#1939006)
Due to the breakthroughs discussed in the OA, and some other things, I'd bet they'll have a "cure" of some sort for schizophrenia within the next 10 years, tops. Feels like they're hot on the trail. Also cancer and diabetes.
Re:The Insanity Virus by araneae on Wednesday November 24, 2010 @11:23PM (#1939361)
I would say much the opposite.

Given the fact that schizophrenics seem to have different brain morphology, it seems that whatever causes it has organizational, not activational effects.

That is to say, the brain is permanently damaged during a critical period in a child's life, which leads to these effects later on. If it is a virus, perhaps it could be prevented, but almost certainly not cured.

Re:The Insanity Virus by jonhendry on Thursday November 25, 2010 @01:05AM (#1939500)
Unless neurogenesis can be triggered in such a way that new neurons develop and migrate along the normal routes, once the disruption is removed.

Therapy to encourage new synapse development could also help, once any morphology-disrupting factor is removed.

Re:The Insanity Virus by araneae on Thursday November 25, 2010 @06:19AM (#1939970)
Migration of neurons occurs primarily in utero and very early childhood, and as you might notice, during this time very few memories are formed.

That's because memories are built on those very synaptic connection you would need to rewire. Any cure that deals with reorganizing the brain could very well wipe out who they are. If it's even possible. And for that kind of technology we're talking at minimum centuries, not decades.

Re:The Insanity Virus by mkramlich on Thursday November 25, 2010 @04:04PM (#1940998)
don't downvote my comment to zero because you may disagree with me. downvote if i said something rude, offensive or off-topic.