Handbook of Neurochemistry and Molecular Neurobiology: Schizophrenia

This chapter is a review of the evidence implicating a dysfunction of dopamine transmission inthe prefrontal cortex in schizophrenia, underlying negative symptoms and cognitive deficits. The evidencederives essentially from brain imaging studies, post-mortem studies and clinical pharmacological studies.The imaging studies have suggested alterations in the main mediator of dopamine transmission in thecortex, the D1 receptors. Furthermore, studies have suggested a link between NMDA deficits and D1alterations in the cortex in schizophrenia, suggesting that therapeutic interventions at these targets mayhave beneficial effects on cognition and negative symptoms. List of Abbreviations: CKU, chronic ketamine users; COMT, catechol-O-methyltransferase; DA, dopa-mine; DAT, DA transporters; DLPFC, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex; EC, entorhinal cortex; MPFC, medial.1 Cortical dopamine in schizophrenia prefrontal cortex; NET, norepinephrine transporters; PFC, prefrontal cortex; SN, substantia nigra; VTA,ventral tegmental area; TH, tyrosine hydroxylase; WCST, Wisconsin Cart Sort Task; WM, working memory