Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Biological Causes of Schizophrenia01:29

Biological Causes of Schizophrenia

421
Schizophrenia, a severe psychiatric disorder, arises from a complex interplay of biological factors, including genetic predisposition, structural brain abnormalities, neurotransmitter dysregulation, and developmental irregularities. These factors collectively contribute to the onset and progression of the disorder, which typically manifests in late adolescence or early adulthood.
Genetic Factors in Schizophrenia
The genetic basis of schizophrenia is strongly supported by family and twin...
421

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Altered distribution and localization of organellar Na<sup>+</sup>/H<sup>+</sup> exchangers in postmortem schizophrenia dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.

Translational psychiatry·2023
Same author

Differential genetic associations and expression of PAPST1/SLC35B2 in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

Journal of neural transmission (Vienna, Austria : 1996)·2022
Same author

mTOR kinase activity disrupts a phosphorylation signaling network in schizophrenia brain.

Molecular psychiatry·2021
Same author

Evidence for altered energy metabolism, increased lactate, and decreased pH in schizophrenia brain: A focused review and meta-analysis of human postmortem and magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies.

Schizophrenia research·2020
Same author

Post-translational protein modifications in schizophrenia.

NPJ schizophrenia·2020
Same author

Protein expression of prenyltransferase subunits in postmortem schizophrenia dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.

Translational psychiatry·2020

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 29, 2025

Standardized Data Acquisition for Neuromelanin-Sensitive Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Substantia Nigra
05:14

Standardized Data Acquisition for Neuromelanin-Sensitive Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Substantia Nigra

Published on: September 8, 2021

4.3K

AMPA receptor subunit localization in schizophrenia anterior cingulate cortex.

Jana L Benesh1, Toni M Mueller1, James H Meador-Woodruff1

  • 1University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, 1720 2nd Ave S., Birmingham, AL 35294, United States of America.

Schizophrenia Research
|February 5, 2020
PubMed
Summary

Schizophrenia may involve altered glutamate signaling due to abnormal trafficking of AMPA receptors (AMPARs). This study found reduced stargazin and GluA1 in synapses, suggesting impaired AMPAR function in schizophrenia patients.

Keywords:
Anterior cingulate cortexPostmortemPostsynaptic densityStargazinSubcellular fractionationTARP

More Related Videos

Identification of Dopamine D1-Alpha Receptor Within Rodent Nucleus Accumbens by an Innovative RNA In Situ Detection Technology
07:25

Identification of Dopamine D1-Alpha Receptor Within Rodent Nucleus Accumbens by an Innovative RNA In Situ Detection Technology

Published on: March 27, 2018

8.9K
Brain Morphology of Cannabis Users With or Without Psychosis: A Pilot MRI Study
07:30

Brain Morphology of Cannabis Users With or Without Psychosis: A Pilot MRI Study

Published on: August 18, 2020

7.4K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Dec 29, 2025

Standardized Data Acquisition for Neuromelanin-Sensitive Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Substantia Nigra
05:14

Standardized Data Acquisition for Neuromelanin-Sensitive Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Substantia Nigra

Published on: September 8, 2021

4.3K
Identification of Dopamine D1-Alpha Receptor Within Rodent Nucleus Accumbens by an Innovative RNA In Situ Detection Technology
07:25

Identification of Dopamine D1-Alpha Receptor Within Rodent Nucleus Accumbens by an Innovative RNA In Situ Detection Technology

Published on: March 27, 2018

8.9K
Brain Morphology of Cannabis Users With or Without Psychosis: A Pilot MRI Study
07:30

Brain Morphology of Cannabis Users With or Without Psychosis: A Pilot MRI Study

Published on: August 18, 2020

7.4K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psychiatry
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • The glutamate hypothesis of schizophrenia implicates dysregulated glutamatergic transmission.
  • AMPA receptors (AMPARs) mediate fast excitatory neurotransmission, and their synaptic levels are critical for brain function.
  • Transmembrane AMPAR regulatory proteins (TARPs) are implicated in AMPAR trafficking, with prior evidence suggesting their abnormality in schizophrenia.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of TARPs, specifically stargazin, in the altered AMPAR trafficking hypothesized in schizophrenia.
  • To examine the expression and interactions of AMPAR subunits and stargazin in subcellular fractions of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) from schizophrenia and comparison subjects.

Main Methods:

  • Western blot analysis was used to quantify glutamate receptor subunits (GluA1-4, NR1, NR2A-B, NR3A) and stargazin.
  • Subcellular fractions (endoplasmic reticulum and synapses) were isolated from ACC tissue of 18 schizophrenia and 18 comparison subjects.
  • Expression levels and ratios of proteins were analyzed in homogenates and specific subcellular fractions.

Main Results:

  • Decreased stargazin expression and an increased GluA2:stargazin ratio were observed in ACC homogenates from schizophrenia subjects.
  • Synaptic fractions showed reduced GluA1 levels and diminished GluA1:stargazin and GluA1:GluA2 ratios in schizophrenia.
  • While total stargazin in the ER fraction was unchanged, the ER/Total stargazin ratio increased, suggesting impaired ER export.

Conclusions:

  • Abnormal associations between stargazin and AMPA subunits (GluA1, GluA2) suggest disrupted AMPAR trafficking and/or synaptic stability in schizophrenia.
  • The increased relative amount of stargazin in the ER fraction points towards potential defects in forward trafficking of AMPARs.
  • These findings provide evidence that altered protein interactions in AMPAR trafficking pathways contribute to glutamatergic dysregulation in schizophrenia.