Increased Release of Dopamine in the Striata of Young Adults With Hearing Impairment and Its Relevance for the Social Defeat Hypothesis of Schizophrenia

Abstract

Our study presents preliminary evidence of dopamine sensitization in a socially excluded group of people with hearing impairment. If replicated by future studies in other excluded groups, this finding may have major implications for our understanding of the underlying mechanism and for prevention of psychotic disorders.