Under which hypothesis is an overabundance of dopamine linked to schizophrenia?

The dopamine hypothesis is a well-established theory in the field of psychiatry that suggests an overactivity of dopamine neurotransmission in certain brain areas contributes to the symptoms of schizophrenia. Research has demonstrated that increased dopamine levels, particularly in the mesolimbic pathway, are associated with positive symptoms of schizophrenia, such as hallucinations and delusions. This hypothesis was originally formed based on the observation that drugs which increase dopamine levels can induce psychotic symptoms similar to those seen in schizophrenia, while medications that block dopamine receptors tend to alleviate these symptoms.

In contrast, the other hypotheses mentioned focus on different aspects of schizophrenia. The stress-diathesis theory emphasizes the interaction between genetic predispositions (diathesis) and environmental stressors leading to the onset of the disorder. The behavioral hypothesis looks at observable behaviors rather than the underlying neurobiological mechanisms. The neurocognitive hypothesis examines the cognitive deficits often present in schizophrenia but does not specifically attribute these to dopamine levels. Therefore, the dopamine hypothesis is the most directly related to the specifics of dopamine's role in schizophrenia.