Schizophrenic hallucinations linked to structural abnormalitites in the brain

Researchers have found both structural and functional abnormalities in specific brain regions of schizophrenic patients who experience chronic auditory hallucinations. “The results showed abnormalities in specific areas of the brain associated with the capacity to process human voices,” said Luis Martí-Bonmatí, M.D., Ph.D., of Dr. Peset University Hospital in Valencia, Spain. The researchers studied 31 right-handed men, 21 with schizophrenia and 10 healthy controls. The researchers used morphological MRI to show abnormalities in brain structure and functional MRI to gauge brain response to various emotional and neutral stimuli. The schizophrenic men showed functional abnormalities and corresponding gray matter deficits. “We hope that by evaluating combined structural and functional abnormalities in the brains of these patients, we may uncover biological markers to find candidates for specific treatments and better monitor patient response to those treatments,” added Dr. Martí-Bonmatí. The results of the MRIs may help doctors understand the pathological abnormalities associated with schizophrenia, which has been one of the greatest challenges in psychiatry.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have genetically engineered the first mouse that models both the anatomical and behavioral defects of schizophrenia, a complex and debilitating brain disorder. According to the online report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers developed mice that make a regular DISC1 protein and an incomplete, shortened form of the DISC1 protein, which is an effect of having the DISC1 gene mutation associated with schizophrenia. The short form of the protein attaches to the full-length one, disrupting its normal duties. As the mice matured they showed behavioral defects as observed in schizophrenia patients. “The animals can also be bred with other strains of genetically engineered mice to try to pinpoint additional schizophrenia genes,” said Akira Sawa, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry and neuroscience at Johns Hopkins.

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