Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 25, 2026

A Strategy to Identify de Novo Mutations in Common Disorders such as Autism and Schizophrenia
Published on: June 15, 2011
The dynamics of disordered dialogue: Prefrontal, hippocampal and thalamic miscommunication underlying working memory
David A Kupferschmidt1, Joshua A Gordon1,2
1Integrative Neuroscience Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Abstract:
The prefrontal cortex is central to the orchestrated brain network communication that gives rise to working memory and other cognitive functions. Accordingly, working memory deficits in schizophrenia are increasingly thought to derive from prefrontal cortex dysfunction coupled with broader network disconnectivity. How the prefrontal cortex dynamically communicates with its distal network partners to support working memory and how this communication is disrupted in individuals with schizophrenia remain unclear. Here we review recent evidence that prefrontal cortex communication with the hippocampus and thalamus is essential for normal spatial working memory, and that miscommunication between these structures underlies spatial working memory deficits in schizophrenia. We focus on studies using normal rodents and rodent models designed to probe schizophrenia-related pathology to assess the dynamics of neural interaction between these brain regions. We also highlight recent preclinical work parsing roles for long-range prefrontal cortex connections with the hippocampus and thalamus in normal and disordered spatial working memory. Finally, we discuss how emerging rodent endophenotypes of hippocampal- and thalamo-prefrontal cortex dynamics in spatial working memory could translate into richer understanding of the neural bases of cognitive function and dysfunction in humans.
Related Concept Videos
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Diagnostic Criteria and Symptoms
To diagnose ADHD, symptoms must manifest before age 12 and be evident across multiple settings....
Psychosis: Pathophysiology of Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders
Researchers have identified genetic factors that increase susceptibility to schizophrenia, underscoring the intricate interplay between genetics and environment in disease development. At the core of schizophrenia's pathophysiology is excessive dopaminergic neurotransmission within...
Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory
Schizophrenia
Biological Causes of Schizophrenia
Genetic Factors in Schizophrenia
The genetic basis of schizophrenia is strongly supported by family and twin...
Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia

