scientist / researcher

kēxuéjiā

科学家

to discover / to find

fāxiàn

发现

schizophrenia

jīngshén fēnlièzhèng

精神分裂症

key / crucial

guānjiàn

关键

gene

jīyīn

基因

mutation

tūbiàn

突变

mechanism

jīzhì

机制

。

New Words

News in English

MIT Scientists Find Gene Mutation That Traps Brain in Wrong Reality, Offering Clue to Schizophrenia

Researchers from MIT and the Broad Institute found that a mutation in the grin2a gene disrupts a key thalamus-prefrontal cortex circuit, preventing the brain from updating beliefs, and restored normal behavior in mice by reactivating the pathway.

On April 2, Nature Neuroscience journal published important research about schizophrenia genetic mechanisms. Researchers from MIT and Broad Institute discovered that grin2a gene mutation is one key reason triggering some schizophrenia symptoms. The grin2a gene is responsible for encoding NMDA receptor important components. This receptor plays core role in neuron signal transmission. Through experiments, researchers confirmed this mutation will damage neural connections between thalamus and prefrontal cortex. Under normal circumstances, this neural pathway helps brain continuously correct understanding of reality based on new information. Once this pathway is damaged, patients struggle to use new information update cognition, and may develop symptoms of disconnection from reality. In animal experiments, by artificially activating this pathway, researchers successfully restored normal animal behavior. This achievement provides important direction for developing novel antipsychotic drugs targeting this neural circuit. Scientists stated the next step will advance human clinical trials to verify safety and effectiveness of related therapies.

More in Lifestyle & Culture