Schizophrenia is a stress memory whose prominent symptom is psychosis: a literary update

Two distinct schools of thought and two men have continued to dominate psychiatry over the past century. Despite both of these men supporting eugenics; Emil Kraepelin and Paul Eugen Bleuler also held very different views on how better outcomes could best be achieved. Progress in the delivery of better outcomes for schizophrenia has halted. Gaining an understanding of the neurobiology involved in schizophrenia may facilitate the delivery of better clinical outcomes. An extensive narrative review of the literature was undertaken to ascertain a neurobiological basis for schizophrenia. This review revealed a metabolic disorder that produces an adaptation to chronic nutrient or hypoxic stress. The formation of a stress memory will be explored. An evidence base will be presented to support rationale for relabeling psychiatric disorders as a stress memory with prominent symptoms. For instance, psychosis, mood disturbance, persistently low mood, anxiety or a delayed reaction in the case of post-traumatic stress disorder. Besides the argument for neurobiological and symptom accuracy, an appropriate name change may be prudent to reduce the burden of stigma that was derived from the eugenics movement and which continues to defame people today.