title: Converging models of schizophrenia--Network alterations of prefrontal cortex underlying cognitive impairments.
abstract: The prefrontal cortex (PFC) and its connections with other brain areas are crucial for cognitive function. Cognitive impairments are one of the core symptoms associated with schizophrenia, and manifest even before the onset of the disorder. Altered neural networks involving PFC contribute to cognitive impairments in schizophrenia. Both genetic and environmental risk factors affect the development of the local circuitry within PFC as well as development of broader brain networks, and make the system vulnerable to further insults during adolescence, leading to the onset of the disorder in young adulthood. Since spared cognitive functions correlate with functional outcome and prognosis, a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying cognitive impairments will have important implications for novel therapeutics for schizophrenia focusing on cognitive functions. Multidisciplinary approaches, from basic neuroscience to clinical studies, are required to link molecules, circuitry, networks, and behavioral phenotypes. Close interactions among such fields by sharing a common language on connectomes, behavioral readouts, and other concepts are crucial for this goal.
authors.affiliation: Medical Innovation Center, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan. Electronic address: sakurai@tk.med.kyoto-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakurai
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA.
authors.forename: Nao J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Gamo
authors.affiliation: Medical Innovation Center, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Takatoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hikida
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA.
authors.forename: Sun-Hong
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshiya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Murai
authors.affiliation: Medical Innovation Center, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshifumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tomoda
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA.
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sawa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008959:Models, Neurological; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000503:physiopathology; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology
keywords: Brain imaging; Circuitry formation; Circuitry maturation; Cognitive function; Networks; Oscillation; Prefrontal cortex