Schizophrenia is one of the most widely discussed and researched psychopathological conditions to date. Still, despite the various efforts, there are still a multitude of questions surrounding the condition, from causes to cure.
Meanwhile, a very recent study may shed some more light in further understanding the disorder. This particular study, specifically involving stem cells, provides new and groundbreaking insight about the mechanisms of neurotransmitters in schizophrenia. According to Vivian Hook, the study's senior author, their new discovery can lead to new drug targets and treatments. Hook is a professor at the Skaggs School of Pharmacy at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine.
The researchers have found that brain cells of people with schizophrenia release higher amounts of three types of neurotransmitters that are associated with a range of psychiatric disorders.
"All behavior has a neurochemical basis in the brain. This study shows that it is possible to look at precise chemical changes in neurons of people with schizophrenia," Hook said in a news release.
For the method, the researchers used stem cell technology to create working brain cells, which were then activated to give off neurotransmitters. They discovered that people with schizophrenia secreted higher amounts of norepinephrine, epinephrine, and dopamine.
They also found that the brain cells of those with the psychiatric condition were more dedicated in producing tyrosine hydroxylase. Production of this neurotransmitter is the initial step in the production of dopamine. The researchers noted that epinephrine and norepinephrine are both made from dopamine.
These findings can be instrumental for doctors and practitioners in effectively evaluating the severity of a person's schizophrenia, identifying the different types of schizophrenia, and determining the best treatments.
Hook concluded that being able to see differences in neurons as displayed by individual patients is very powerful knowledge and capability.
The study was published online in Stem Cell Reports and was partly sponsored by the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
