Researchers at Columbia University have discovered that a small group of neurons fired haphazardly in mice with signs of schizophrenia. The findings suggest that a breakdown in the synchronized behavior of these brain cells could produce the classic disordered thinking and perceptions associated with the disease.
The study, which may be the first to test the idea that schizophrenia arises from disruptions in small networks of neurons, was published today in Neuron.
Affecting about one percent of the population, schizophrenia is marked by a range of distinct symptoms, from hallucinations and delusions, to memory problems and social withdrawal. It also comes in a variety of forms, which has hindered researchers in finding a unifying explanation for the disease that could improve diagnosis and treatment.
“If you think of the neurons in the schizophrenic mice as pixels on a TV screen, it’s as if most of the pixels have been scrambled,” said the study’s lead author, Jordan Hamm, a postdoctoral researcher at Columbia University. “Each pixel no longer relates to its neighbor to form a coherent, stable picture.”
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@SzAdmin help please.