Beautiful Mind, A

Are there physical manifestations of schizophrenia one can find in a patient's brain? From an interesting study, comparing the brain scans of twins, we can see a marked difference in the brain of the twin who has schizophrenia. From studies of brain tissue, we also learn something about why people with this condition adapt less easily to changing environments.

Schizophrenics often suffer from memory loss. Do any tests show what causes that impairment? In a recent study, five healthy individuals were asked to perform the same memory task that five patients with schizophrenia performed. Results clearly demonstrate that "patients with schizophrenia do not generate the dramatic brain activity in the circuits of the brain critical to the memory task."

So how did the young and brilliant John Nash cope when he and his "beautiful mind" were struck with this mind-damaging condition?

Not well, at least initially.