Which neurotransmitter is particularly implicated in schizophrenia?

Dopamine is particularly implicated in schizophrenia due to its significant role in the brain's reward pathway and regulation of mood, perception, and cognitive function. Research suggests that an overactivity of dopamine transmission in certain brain areas contributes to the positive symptoms of schizophrenia, such as hallucinations and delusions. This has been supported by the effectiveness of antipsychotic medications, which primarily target dopamine receptors, reducing these symptoms by blocking dopamine activity.

In contrast, norepinephrine, serotonin, and GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) also play roles in various mental health conditions, but they are not as central to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia as dopamine. Norepinephrine is more closely associated with stress and arousal, serotonin is linked to mood regulation, and GABA functions as the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, helping to balance excitatory signals but not specifically implicated in the classic symptoms of schizophrenia as dopamine is.