Schizophrenia is linked to excess activity of _____.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Dopamine
Abnormal activity of certain neurotransmitters, the chemicals that carry a message across the synapse, can lead to specific psychological disorders.
Option (1) Gamma Aminobutyric acid — Incorrect. Anxiety disorders have been linked to low activity of GABA.
Option (2) Dopamine — Correct. Schizophrenia has been linked to excess activity of dopamine.
Option (3) Serotonin — Incorrect. Its low activity is linked to depression, not its excess to schizophrenia.
Option (4) Thyroxine — Incorrect. Thyroxine is not a neurotransmitter but a hormone of the thyroid gland, which controls the rate of the body’s metabolism. It is carried in the blood, not across a synapse.
Note: A similar question was also asked in CUET (UG) 2026 on 29-05-2026 (Slot 2) and 06-06-2026 (Slot 1).
NCERT (2025-26): “Factors Underlying Abnormal Behaviour … a tiny space called synapse separates one neuron from the next, and the message must move across that space. When an electrical impulse reaches a neuron’s ending, the nerve ending is stimulated to release a chemical, called a neuro-transmitter. Studies indicate that abnormal activity by certain neuro-transmitters can lead to specific psychological disorders. Anxiety disorders have been linked to low activity of the neurotransmitter gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), schizophrenia to excess activity of dopamine, and depression to low activity of serotonin.…” |