no one knows what causes schizophrenia for certain but researchers believe it is a combination of genetics which increase the risk and environmental influences which trigger the genetic predisposition. there is also evidence that changes in body chemistry during puberty may also play a role. more recently researchers have linked schizophrenia to brain developmental problems that occur in a fetus when a woman contracts certain viruses during pregnancy -- most notably influenza toxoplasmosis and rubella. research also implicates genital or reproductive infections present in the mother's body at the time of conception with increasing the baby's future risk of developing schizophrenia.
what causes schizophrenia?