Understanding the Causal Pathway of Social Determinants of Psychosis: The Role of Social Functioning, Relevance of Animal Models, and Implications for Treatment

Abstract

Abstract There is mounting evidence that the social determinants of psychosis operate via a long and circuitous route. Here, we comment on the striking findings from a recent study by Ku et al., that area-level social environmental factors yield social disability and increased risk for schizophrenia through intervening variables and over a long time course. We discuss the relevance of animal models of social isolation to understand how environmental factors interrelate with individual-level mechanisms. We also discuss treatment implications, including the search for novel psychopharmacological treatments for reduced social motivation, and the need for a comprehensive prediction and prevention model.