BLACKSBURG, Va., Aug. 28 -- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University issued the following news release:
Imagine watching a son or daughter begin college during a formative time in life, only to have schizophrenia suddenly alter their reality.
They may begin hearing voices no one else can hear or believe that strangers are watching them. To people with schizophrenia, these types of experiences are real.
"The problem is for both the patient and the family - they're living in alternate realities," said Michael Halassa, a physician-scientist and professor who leads both laboratory and clinical research programs at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC. "Changes in the person's brain have affected their perception of real...