Neurotrophins and schizophrenia.
Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior, Medical College of Georgia, 1515 Pope Avenue, Augusta, Georgia 30912, United States. pbuckley@mail.mcg.edu
Neurotrophins have established roles in neuronal development, synaptogenesis, and response to stress/anxious stimuli. Moreover, these agents are neuromodulators of monoaminergic, GABAergic, and cholinergic systems. Amidst a growing appreciation of the developmental neurobiology of schizophrenia--as well as the propensity for progressive brain changes--there is emergent information on abnormalities in the expression of neurotrophins in schizophrenia. This article reviews the literature on neurotrophins and schizophrenia. A schema for understanding the neurobiology of relapse in schizophrenia is offered.
PMID: 17524622 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]