Schizophrenia is a complex disease, but most hypotheses have centered on hyperactive rather than hypoactive dopaminergic activity: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

Schizophrenia is a complex disease, but most hypotheses have centered on hyperactive rather than hypoactive dopaminergic activity: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dopamine_hypothesis_of_schizophrenia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dopamine_hypothesis_of_schizoph... There is indeed greater nicotine use by those diagnosed with schizophrenia, but the reasons are likely complex. Self-treatment of some symptoms may be involved, but they may be more associated with nicotine's anxiolytic activity or relief of some of schizophrenia's negative symptoms (e.g., apathy), rather than positive symptoms like frank psychosis.