“Disorganized Thinking” in Psychosis is Linked to Brain Processing Problem in Cerebellum

New data gleaned from learning-task experiments and fMRI imaging of young adults at clinical high risk for psychosis support the theory that problems in a particular brain circuit contribute to the disorganized thinking seen in patients with schizophrenia, according to a new report in the journal NeuroImage: Clinical .

The experiments allowed the research team to examine in detail a circuit in the cerebellum, at the base of the brain, while the circuit was active. They focused on the circuit’s role in producing “rules” and models during learning – procedures that make thinking efficient and powerful. The research was led by Jessica Bernard, Ph.D. of Texas A&M University, who received her 2014 Young Investigator grant as a Donald and Janet Boardman Investigator; the senior author was Vijay Mittal, Ph.D., a 2017 Independent Investigator at Northwestern University.

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interesting news!

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