The biological basis of schizophrenia is most prominently explained by the dopamine hypothesis, which proposes that dysregulated dopaminergic neurotransmission, particularly hyperactivity in mesolimbic pathways and hypoactivity in mesocortical circuits, underlies the positive and negative symptoms of the disorder. This theory emerged in the mid-20th century when the antipsychotic effects of chlorpromazine were observed by Jean Delay and Pierre Deniker in 1952, and was later refined through the work of Arvid Carlsson (1963), who demonstrated dopamine’s role as a neurotransmitter, and Philip Seeman (1975), who showed that antipsychotic potency correlates with D2 receptor blockade, with subsequent neuroimaging and pharmacological studies confirming excess striatal dopamine synthesis and release in patients.

From a Christian perspective, this biological insight affirms the embodied nature of human persons described in Scripture (“for you formed my inward parts” Psalm 139:13, ESV) and reflects the post-Fall brokenness affecting mind and body (Romans 8:20–23), while resisting reductionism by maintaining, in line with historic Christian theology (e.g., Augustine’s and Aquinas’s integrative anthropology), that neurochemical dysfunction does not negate spiritual dignity or moral agency, since every person bears the imago Dei (Genesis 1:27).

Thus, the dopamine hypothesis not only advances compassionate, evidence-based treatment, through antipsychotics targeting D2 receptors and ongoing research into glutamatergic modulation but also contributes to personal and societal health by reducing stigma, encouraging medical and pastoral collaboration, and promoting a holistic model of care that honours both scientific discovery and theological truth.