Disturbed macro-connectivity in schizophrenia linked to oligodendrocyte dysfunction: from structural findings to molecules

Author(s)

Cassoli, Juliana Silva ^[1] ; Guest, Paul C. ^[1] ; Malchow, Berend ^[2] ; Schmitt, Andrea ^{[3, 2]} ; Falkai, Peter ^[2] ; Martins-de-Souza, Daniel ^{[3, 4, 1]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Campinas, Inst Biol, Dept Biochem & Tissue Biol, Lab Neuroprotem, Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[2] LMU, Dept Psychiat & Psychotherapy, Munich - Germany

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Psychiat, Lab Neurosci LIM 27, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[4] Univ Estadual Campinas, Neurobiol Ctr, Campinas, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Review article
• Source: NPJ SCHIZOPHRENIA; v. 1, 2015.
• Web of Science Citations: 20

Abstract

Schizophrenia is a severe psychiatric disorder with multi-factorial characteristics. A number of findings have shown disrupted synaptic connectivity in schizophrenia patients and emerging evidence suggests that this results from dysfunctional oligodendrocytes, the cells responsible for myelinating axons in white matter to promote neuronal conduction. The exact cause of this is not known, although recent imaging and molecular profiling studies of schizophrenia patients have identified changes in white matter tracts connecting multiple brain regions with effects on protein signaling networks involved in the myelination process. Further understanding of oligodendrocyte dysfunction in schizophrenia could lead to identification of novel drug targets for this devastating disease. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 14/10068-4 - Multi-User Equipment approved in grant 13/08711-3: mass spectrometer waters SYNAPT G2-Si HDMS + nanoACQUITY UPLC
• Grantee: Daniel Martins-de-Souza
• Support Opportunities: Multi-user Equipment Program
• FAPESP's process: 14/14881-1 - Understanding the influence of glycolysis components in the function of oligodendrocytes: linking with findings in schizophrenia
• Grantee: Juliana Silva Cassoli
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 13/08711-3 - Developing a predictive test for a successful medication response and understanding the molecular bases of schizophrenia through proteomics
• Grantee: Daniel Martins-de-Souza
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants