14 DAY TRIAL // Researchers have recently finished one of the first studies ever to look at the relationships between brain chemical concentrations and symptoms associated with schizophrenia. The experts, based at the University of California in Davis (UCD), published their results in the March 10 online issue of the respected scientific Journal of Neuroscience. Their work may lead others to new avenues of research in finding potential cures for this mental disorder, and some of its symptoms, including the inability to solve problems, poor memory and attention deficits, e! Science News reports.
The research team was able to determine that a specific brain chemical played an important role in the incidence and severity of these particular symptoms, and their finding is the first of its kind. The work conducted at the university is of tremendous importance for the over two million Americans, and other millions of citizens across the globe, that suffer the devastating effects of this condition. The research was led by UCD Health System assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, Jong H. Yoon. He was also the lead author of the new journal entry.
“We still know very little about the neurobiology of schizophrenia, particularly at the level of specific circuits and molecules and how their impairments affect behavior and cognition in the disease. We need this level of specificity to guide targeted treatment development. This is one of the first studies to show that there is a strong association between cognitive deficits and a decrease in a particular neurotransmitter,” the expert says. “People think of schizophrenia as being related to psychosis. But patients' cognitive limitations can be even more debilitating for them," adds the director of the UCD Imaging Research Center, Cameron Carter. He is also a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the university, and the senior author of the investigation.
“This study actually looked at brain chemistry in live patients in relation to cognitive performance to determine the underlying neurobiology of the cognitive deficits. Our ultimate goal is discovering ways to help patients lead more productive lives,” the expert adds. The researchers focused their attention on the neurotransmitter GABA (gamma-Aminobutyric acid), which is the main inhibitory system in the mammalian world. It was found that lower-than-normal levels of GABA were directly tied to brain abnormalities that are the hallmark of schizophrenia. “This work provides tremendous support for targeting the GABA system for treatment of cognitive decline in schizophrenia,” Carter concludes.