Magnetic brain activity may reveal schizophrenia

Magnetic brain activity may reveal schizophrenia.

Magnetic fields produced by the brain’s natural electrical currents may be used in the future as an objective test for schizophrenia, according to new research.

Schizophrenia is a rare but serious psychiatric disorder, usually beginning in late adolescence, and is characterized by a range of positive and negative symptoms, including hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, cognitive impairment, social withdrawal, self-neglect and loss of motivation and initiative.

Like for all mental disorders, there currently is no blood or laboratory test to confirm a diagnosis. Schizophrenia is currently diagnosed by clinicians who assess patients using a defined set of schizophrenia symptom criteria.