( ng the initial steps of neurochemical a...)Schizophrenia Complicates With Altered Receptor Activity,Health

ng the initial steps of neurochemical activity in postmortem brain tissue of mentally healthy patients to those with schizophrenia, the researchers discovered that NRG1-erbB4 activity was significantly greater in the brains of patients with schizophrenia.

Hahn and colleagues also studied a second neuron receptor called NMDA, which receives input from the neurotransmitter glutamate. Previous studies at other labs have demonstrated the relationship between erbB4 and NMDA receptor activity and have led researchers to believe that enhanced activity of erbB4 receptors results in a decrease in NMDA receptor activity.

Low levels of NMDA receptor activity are believed to contribute to symptoms of schizophrenia. By stimulating NMDA receptors with glutamate, and measuring the subsequent changes in phosphorylation at the receptor, Penn scientists were able to track an impairment in NMDA receptor activation in the postmortem brain tissue from patients with schizophrenia.

‘The fact that our studies of the brains of patients with schizophrenia demonstrate both erbB4 receptor overactivity as well as NMDA underactivity suggests the existence of a relationship between these two receptor groups,’ explains Hahn. ‘Altered NRG1-erbB4 signaling may contribute to NMDA receptor hypofunction in schizophrenia.’ This finding is the first to display NMDA receptor hypofunction in the brains of patients with schizophrenia.

ErbB4 and NMDA receptors are located at the post-synaptic junction, or the chemical receiving end of the neuron. Both, erbB4 and NMDA receptors, are bound to scaffolding proteins called post-synaptic density (PSD), which can bridge receptor groups together and enhance their interactions.

‘PSD proteins can act like a raft in the ocean,’ explains Hahn. ‘Just as holding onto a raft increases one's chance of survival, by binding onto PSD proteins, NMDA and erbB4 receptors can enhance their activity.’

Hahn hypot
'"/>




Page: 1 2 3
Related medicine news :

1. Sex exploitation connected to Schizophrenia
2. Schizophrenia detected early
3. Gene glitches connecting pot with Schizophrenia
4. An insight about Schizophrenia
5. Risk Of Schizophrenia due to Gene Variation
6. Factors That Might Increase The Risk Of Schizophrenia
7. Identifying The Risks Of Developing Schizophrenia
8. Dads Age Found To Affect The Childs Risk for Schizophrenia
9. Famine May Be A Cause For Schizophrenia
10. Schizophrenia Gets A New Diagnostic Tool
11. Gene Activity connected to Schizophrenia