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Schizophrenia: caused by a fault in programmed synaptic elimination during adolescence?
Journal of Psychiatric Research
|January 1, 1982
Summary
Adolescent brain development involves significant functional reorganization, including reduced synaptic density. This synaptic pruning may explain cognitive changes and potentially underlie adolescent-onset schizophrenia.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Adolescence is a critical period for human brain development.
- Significant functional and structural changes occur during this stage.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the profound reorganization of human brain function during adolescence.
- To investigate the role of reduced cortical synaptic density in these changes.
- To examine the potential link between synaptic pruning and adolescent-onset schizophrenia.
Main Methods:
- Review of converging evidence on adolescent brain changes.
- Analysis of observed reduction in cortical synaptic density.
- Comparison of synaptic pruning to early neural development.
Main Results:
- Adolescence shows sharp declines in deep sleep and brain metabolism.
- Latency of event-related potentials decreases, and cognitive function matures.
- Reduced cortical synaptic density is observed and may explain these functional shifts.
Conclusions:
- Synaptic pruning during adolescence is a key maturational process.
- This process may underlie cognitive maturation and the emergence of schizophrenia.
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