Title: Professor's Research on Schizophrenia Aids Prevention
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Professor of Psychology Ricardo A. Machón, Ph.D., has spent more than 20 years exploring the causes of schizophrenia. Aided by federal research grants, he has successfully linked schizophrenia to prenatal developments during the second trimester.
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Professor of Psychology Ricardo A. Machón, Ph.D., has spent more than 20 years exploring the causes of schizophrenia, a disorder characterized by the loss of true contact with reality. Aided by federal research grants, this LMU professor has traveled the globe collecting data and lecturing on his findings, including an assertion that schizophrenia can be associated with factors occurring before birth.
Significant evidence in his research links schizophrenia to certain prenatal developments during the second trimester of fetal life. He concludes that a mother’s stressful environment during this time of rapid brain development can contribute to the onslaught of later adult schizophrenia in her unborn child.
These unique findings, confirmed by subsequent studies by colleagues in various countries in the world, were first reported by Machón and his collaborators in 1988. His research findings are now regularly cited in psychology textbooks examining schizophrenia. These findings are also being employed to prevent future cases of the disorder.
Professor Machón’s continuing research on schizophrenia showcases his authority on the subject and a potential for significant social gain. His dedication to LMU also gives students a direct opportunity to better understand the human mind under his close guidance in the classroom.