 |
|
Mice with defective memory may hold clues to schizophrenia
January 18, 2006By deleting a single gene in a small portion of the brains of mice, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center found that the animals were affected in a way resembling schizophrenia in humans.
After the gene was removed, the animals, which had been trained to use external cues to look for chocolate treats buried in sand, couldn't learn a similar task, the researchers report in a paper appearing in today's issue of The Journal of Neuroscience.
The researchers deleted the gene, which codes for a part of a protein involved in passing signals between nerve cells needed for learning and memory. When a similar protein is blocked by drugs in humans, it leads to a psychotic state similar to schizophrenia.
"We think that both our genetic rodent model as well as a new learning and memory test we developed may provide valuable tools in the investigation of schizophrenia," said Dr. Robert Greene, professor of psychiatry and senior author of the study.
The researchers developed the training method to test the animals' memories. Chocolate was buried in a cup containing scented sand, which hid the treat's odor. A second cup contained sand with a different scent but no treat. The researchers could change the cage's environment by affixing colored cutouts to the transparent cage walls, adding a textured floor and making other modifications.
The normal mice learned that in the first environment, the chocolate was linked to the first scent. When the researchers changed to a second environment, the mice learned to find the chocolate using the second scent.
Once the mice were trained, an area of the brain called the hippocampus was injected with a genetically engineered virus that selectively cut out the NR1 gene. NR1 produces a protein that is critical for molding nerve messages in an area of the hippocampus called the CA3, which is associated with distinguishing complex patterns.
It is this molding that underlies the hippocampal-dependent learning and memory that is needed to distinguish the complex patterns.
The researchers then attempted to train the mice in memory tasks with new scents and new environments, but the animals lacking the gene couldn't learn. The control group, which received an injection that doesn't cut out NR1, learned as quickly as before.
This shows that the treated animals couldn't react properly to situational cues, which also happens in people with schizophrenia, Dr. Greene said.
The researchers hope to see in future studies if similar small changes to nearby brain regions involved in learning and memory result in the same kind of problems.
"In addition, we want to use a similar task in humans to that used in this study to see if patients with schizophrenia have similar deficits in cognition as we observed in our experimental mice," Dr. Greene said. "This will help determine whether our genetically altered animals provide a good model of the psychosis associated with schizophrenia."
Former UT Southwestern researchers involved in the study were Dr. Tarek Rajji, a psychiatry resident now at the University of Pittsburgh, and Dr. David Chapman, a postdoctoral fellow now at UCB Pharma. Dr. Howard Eichenbaum of Boston University also participated in the study.
The work was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
"We think that both our genetic rodent model as well as a new learning and memory test we developed may provide valuable tools in the investigation of schizophrenia," said Dr. Robert Greene, professor of psychiatry and senior author of the study.
The researchers developed the training method to test the animals' memories. Chocolate was buried in a cup containing scented sand, which hid the treat's odor. A second cup contained sand with a different scent but no treat. The researchers could change the cage's environment by affixing colored cutouts to the transparent cage walls, adding a textured floor and making other modifications.
The normal mice learned that in the first environment, the chocolate was linked to the first scent. When the researchers changed to a second environment, the mice learned to find the chocolate using the second scent.
Once the mice were trained, an area of the brain called the hippocampus was injected with a genetically engineered virus that selectively cut out the NR1 gene. NR1 produces a protein that is critical for molding nerve messages in an area of the hippocampus called the CA3, which is associated with distinguishing complex patterns.
It is this molding that underlies the hippocampal-dependent learning and memory that is needed to distinguish the complex patterns.
The researchers then attempted to train the mice in memory tasks with new scents and new environments, but the animals lacking the gene couldn't learn. The control group, which received an injection that doesn't cut out NR1, learned as quickly as before.
This shows that the treated animals couldn't react properly to situational cues, which also happens in people with schizophrenia, Dr. Greene said.
The researchers hope to see in future studies if similar small changes to nearby brain regions involved in learning and memory result in the same kind of problems.
"In addition, we want to use a similar task in humans to that used in this study to see if patients with schizophrenia have similar deficits in cognition as we observed in our experimental mice," Dr. Greene said. "This will help determine whether our genetically altered animals provide a good model of the psychosis associated with schizophrenia."
Former UT Southwestern researchers involved in the study were Dr. Tarek Rajji, a psychiatry resident now at the University of Pittsburgh, and Dr. David Chapman, a postdoctoral fellow now at UCB Pharma. Dr. Howard Eichenbaum of Boston University also participated in the study.
The work was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
Schizophrenia Current Events and Schizophrenia News RSSSchizophrenia gene's role may be broader, more potent, than thought
UCSF scientists studying nerve cells in fruit flies have uncovered a new function for a gene whose human equivalent may play a critical role in schizophrenia.
Full recovery now possible for an 'untreatable' mental illness
Patients coping with the chaos and misery of Borderline Personality Disorder now have reason for strong confidence in making major life changes through a new treatment, Schema Therapy.
Immune system activated in schizophrenia
Researchers at the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet have discovered that patients with recent-onset schizophrenia have higher levels of inflammatory substances in their brains. Their findings offer hope of being able to treat schizophrenia with drugs that affect the immune system.
Why can't chimps speak?
If humans are genetically related to chimps, why did our brains develop the innate ability for language and speech while theirs did not?
Developmental delay could stem from nicotinic receptor deletion
The loss of a gene through deletion of genetic material on chromosome 15 is associated with significant abnormalities in learning and behavior, said a consortium of researchers led by Baylor College of Medicine (www.bcm.edu) in a report that appears online today in the journal Nature Genetics.
Fighting Sleep, Penn Researchers Reverse the Cognitive Impairment Caused By Sleep Deprivation
A research collaboration led by biologists and neuroscientists at the University of Pennsylvania has found a molecular pathway in the brain that is the cause of cognitive impairment due to sleep deprivation.
Testicular tumors may explain why some diseases are more common in children of older fathers
A rare form of testicular tumour has provided scientists with new insights into how genetic changes (mutations) arise in our children.
CSHL-led team discovers rare mutation dramatically increasing schizophrenia risk
An international team of researchers led by geneticist Jonathan Sebat, Ph.D., of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL), has identified a mutation on human chromosome 16 that substantially increases risk for schizophrenia.
Faulty 'wiring' in the brain triggers onset of schizophrenia
A new study by researchers at the Institute of Psychiatry (IoP), King's College London has discovered abnormalities in the white matter of the brain that seem to be critical for the timing of schizophrenia.
General anesthetics lead to learning disabilities in animal models
Studies by researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine have shown that blocking the NMDA receptor in immature rats leads to profound, rapid brain injury and disruption of auditory function as the animals mature.
More Schizophrenia Current Events and Schizophrenia News Articles
 |
Schizophrenia Revealed: From Neurons to Social Interactions by Michael Foster Green (Author) A modern view of schizophrenia based on neuroscience that goes far beyond the symptoms of the illness. "Green has lifted the bar in this realm of explanatory neuroscience-based psychiatry. If you wish to read an enjoyable and instructive primer on what we know about schizophrenia at the beginning of the 21st century, you could do no better than to choose Schizophrenia Revealed." —New England Journal of Medicine |
 |
The Quiet Room: A Journey Out of the Torment of Madness by Lori Schiller (Author), Amanda Bennett (Author) Schiller's gripping, heart-rending and ultimately triumphant story of her journey into madness and back to reality is told through the voices of Lori and her family, friends and doctor, and captures a rare, astoundingly vivid view into the inner life of a schizophrenic. "A stunning story of courage, persistence, and hope."--Publishers Weekly. |
 |
Surviving Schizophrenia: A Manual for Families, Patients, and Providers by E. Fuller Torrey (Author) Since its first publication in 1983, Surviving Schizophrenia has become the standard reference book on the disease and has helped thousands of patients, their families and mental health professionals. In clear language, this much–praised and important book describes the nature, causes, symptoms, treatment and course of schizophrenia and also explores living with it from both the patient and the family's point of view. This new, completely updated fifth edition includes the latest research findings on what causes the disease as well as information about the newest drugs for treatment and answers to the questions most often asked by families, consumers and providers. |
 |
ABC News 20/20 Schizophrenia It's all in their minds: visions, voices, taunting, never ending, driving them crazy or worse. It's hard to imagine, but now, an amazing device lets you feel their pain. The technology lets you go inside the mind of a schizophrenic. See what they see. Hear what they hear. Using the technique of virtual reality, Janssen Pharmaceuticals has developed a device to stimulate the visual and auditory hallucinations of a schizophrenic patient. Dr. Timothy Johnson explores the world of people struggling with the voices within. This "20/20" show contains the following additional stories: Victim's Comp Windsheilds |
 |
The Complete Family Guide to Schizophrenia: Helping Your Loved One Get the Most Out of Life by Kim T. Mueser PhD (Author), Susan Gingerich MSW (Author) Will the person you love ever get better? Chances are you've grappled with the question. With care and support from their families, people with schizophrenia can and do make vast improvements. Noted therapists Kim Mueser and Susan Gingerich deepen your understanding of the illness and cover a wide range of effective treatments. Based on decades of research and experience, they offer pragmatic suggestions for dealing with depression, psychosis, and other symptoms. They show you how to prioritize needs, resolve everyday problems, and encourage your loved one to set life goals. Plus, individual sections highlight special issues for parents, children, siblings, and partners. Whether you’re facing schizophrenia for the first time or you’ve dealt with its impact for years, you’ll discover... |
 |
Schizophrenia For Dummies (For Dummies (Health & Fitness)) by Jerome Levine (Author), Irene S. Levine (Author) Practical tools for leading a happy, productive life Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, and disabling mental disorder that afflicts one percent of the population, an estimated 2.5 million people in America alone. The firsthand advice in this reassuring guide will empower the families and caregivers of schizophrenia patients to take charge, offering expert advice on identifying the warning signs, choosing the right health professional, understanding currently available drugs and those on the horizon (as well as their side effects), and evaluating traditional and alternative therapies. |
 |
Me, Myself, and Them: A Firsthand Account of One Young Person's Experience with Schizophrenia (Adolescent Mental Health Initiative) by Kurt Snyder (Author), Raquel E. Gur M.D. (Author), Linda Wasmer Andrews (Author) During his second semester at college, Kurt Snyder became convinced that he was about to discover a fabulously important mathematical principle, spending hours lost in daydreams about numbers and symbols. In time, his thoughts took a darker turn, and he became preoccupied with the idea that cars were following him, or that strangers wanted to harm him. Kurt's mind had been hijacked by schizophrenia, a severe mental disorder that typically strikes during the late teen or young adult years. In Me, Myself, and Them, Kurt, now an adult, looks back from the vantage point of recovery and eloquently describes the debilitating changes in thoughts and perceptions that took hold of his life during his teens and twenties. As a memoir, this book is remarkable for its unvarnished look at the... |
 |
Getting Your Life Back Together When You Have Schizophrenia by Roberta Temes (Author) |
 |
Understanding Mental Illness and Schizophrenia Part of the award winning public television series Healthy Body/Healthy Mind. Mental Illnesses are complex diseases of the brain affecting thoughts, moods, and coping ability. There are many diseases you can see, feel and understand, but there are others that aren't as easy to comprehend. Education and compassion are key. Untreated mental illness costs Americans more than 100 billion dollars each year. Fear of Mental Illness and the lack of understanding prevent millions of people from seeking much needed treatment. Meet some of these people in this program. This product is manufactured on demand using DVD-R recordable media. Amazon.com's standard return policy will apply. |
 |
Recovered, Not Cured: A Journey Through Schizophrenia by Richard McLean (Author) This very personal exploration of schizophrenia explores each stage, from the early signs and reactions from friends and family to seeking help and the challenges of recovery. McLean bravely shares his paranoid delusions and offers both a verbal and a visual experience by including digital artwork he created to help objectify and control his impulses and fears. As McLean relates his experiences step by step, issues of sexuality, identity, and drug abuse are discussed, along with the overarching issues relating to mental health and the medical profession. Messages from online posters who either have suffered from mental illness or have cared for the mentally ill are included throughout, adding more perspectives to the author's personal experiences. This powerful combination of words and... |
| © 2009 BrightSurf.com |