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Pharmacopsychiatry 2003; 36: 152-157
DOI: 10.1055/s-2003-45123
Original Paper
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Molecular Brain Imaging and the Neurobiology and Genetics of Schizophrenia

A. Heinz1 , B. Romero1 , J. Gallinat1 , G. Juckel1 , D. R. Weinberger2
  • 1Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Campus Charité-Mitte (CCM), Berlin, Germany
  • 2Clinical Brain Disorders Branch, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
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Publication History

Publication Date:
15 December 2003 (online)

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It has been hypothesized that schizophrenia is related to dysfunction in temporolimbic-prefrontal neuronal networks, which is acquired early in an individual’s development. After puberty, relatively reduced prefrontal control of striatal dopaminergic neurotransmission may lead to unmodulated striatal dopamine (DA) activity, and the positive symptoms of acute psychosis. Brain imaging studies support the notion of prefrontal dysfunction in schizophrenia and correlated upregulation of presynaptic striatal DA activity. Recent molecular brain imaging studies have combined genetic assessments with a multimodal neuroimaging approach to further refine our understanding of the pathophysiologic architecture of the disorder. We review the literature on functional brain imaging in schizophrenia and discuss genotype effects on core psychotic symptoms. A promising research strategy is the identification of genetic and environmental factors that contribute to intermediate phenotypes such as working memory deficits in schizophrenia. Molecular brain imaging can help to unravel the complex interactions between genes and environment and its association with neuronal network dysfunction in schizophrenia.

Key words

Dopamine - PET - SPECT - fMRI - COMT genotype - neurodevelopment

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Andreas Heinz, MD

Professor of Psychiatry

Director and Chair

Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy

Charité - University Medicine Berlin

Campus Charité-Mitte (CCM)

Schumannstr. 20/21

10117 Berlin

Germany

Phone: +49-30-450-517001

Fax: +49-30-450-517921

Email: andreas.heinz@charite.de

URL: http://www.charite.de/psychiatrie

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