Neurodevelopmental involvement in schizophrenia: the olfactory epithelium as an alternative model for research
Nicola G Cascella1, Manabu Takaki, Sandra Lin
1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287, USA. cascella@jhmi.edu
Abstract:
It has been suggested that disturbances during neurodevelopment may play a crucial role in the etiology of schizophrenia (SZ). This premise is supported by brain imaging, epidemiological, and pathological studies as well as the discovery of susceptibility genes for SZ that appear to be implicated in development of the central nervous system. Here, we discuss the limitations of the current methods and models for studying the neurodevelopmental implications in SZ. We agree with the proposal that the olfactory epithelium, in which neurodevelopment continues throughout life, might represent an alternative model for understanding the pathophysiology of the disorder.
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