Study maps organized loss of brain synapses in schizophrenia, pinpointing left frontal origin
Researchers using PET scans found that people with schizophrenia show widespread loss of synaptic connections, especially on the brain's left side, following a patterned distribution linked to molecular receptors.
In a PET-based investigation of 122 volunteers, researchers identified extensive synaptic loss in individuals with schizophrenia, concentrating heavily in left-hemisphere structures such as frontal and temporal cortices and areas governing memory and emotion. The decline was far greater on the left side than the right and did not correspond to the brain-volume alterations typically observed with MRI, implying separate underlying mechanisms.
Analysis revealed that regions with the steepest synaptic deficits also possessed high densities of serotonin, GABA and glutamate receptors, indicating molecular susceptibility. Computer simulations of brain connectivity suggested that a left frontal lobe region could serve as the initial node from which degeneration spreads. The authors propose that this ordered pattern may guide future interventions aimed at preserving or restoring synaptic function, and they plan to track how these changes evolve over time and respond to treatment.
Why it matters
Understanding the structured synaptic loss in schizophrenia could lead to targeted therapies that halt or reverse brain damage.
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