Scientists Explore Hippocampal and Thalamic Neuronal Metabolism in a Putative Rat Model of Schizophrenia

In schizophrenia, there is an alteration in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neuregulin 1 (NRG1), which are important genes and signaling pathways.

To date, no studies have reported magnetic resonance spectroscopy in a rat model of schi-zophrenia induced by early growth response protein 3 gene (Egr3) transfection. Prof. Guolin Ma and colleagues from China-Japan Friendship Hospital, China used multivoxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy to study neuronal metabolite content in rats transfected with the Egr3 gene as a putative model of schizophrenia. 3.0 T proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of in vivo brain tissues showed metabolic abnormalities in hippocampal and thalamic neurons of growth response protein 3 transfected rats. These findings, published in the Neural Regeneration Research (Vol. 8, No. 26, 2013), provide imaging evidence that may be useful in the early diagnosis and pathogenesis of schizophrenia.

About Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by symptoms of thought, behavior and social problems.

Source-Eurekalert

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