Schizophrenia is a very common and is among heavily researched conditions, but still, the scientific community doesn’t have much idea about it.

Ranging from the exact cause of the condition to the mechanics of its effects on the brain, effective treatment has proved comprehensively elusive.

But, Harvard Medical School researchers have noticed an abnormality in the brain, which may potentially explain the mechanics of schizophrenia in detail. A theoretical description may make a way for revolutionary advances in treatment. It has been hypothesized that a natural synapse ‘trimming’ process could be exaggerated or overactive in the brains of people suffering from schizophrenia.

Acting deputy director of the National Institute of Mental Health, Bruce Cuthbert, has called that finding a ‘game-changer’ in schizophrenia research. The investigation was part-funded by the NIMH, which focused on a normal brain function supposed to be dangerously overactive in the schizophrenia patients.

Evidence suggested that schizophrenia was broadly more common than generally realized, with nearly 1% of people suffering from the condition in their life. Schizophrenia symptoms include paranoia, hallucinations, having erratic ideas and strange moods.

Despite research for decades, the exact root cause of schizophrenia is the still not known and is a mystery, though the latest study may potentially shed light on a probable cause for the first time ever.

During the years between teenage to adulthood, the brain starts a natural and vital process whereby synapses are tactically ‘trimmed’ away in some portions of brain. In the schizophrenia patients, it has been theorized that the process somewhat gets out of control, as a result of which brain cuts back on greatly more synapses than normally would have done.

While offering an interesting analogy, Cuthbert, said, “It’s like you have a gardener who was supposed to prune the bushes and just got overactive. You end up with bushes that are pruned way too much”.