Understanding adolescent neurodevelopment: relevance to schizophrenia

精神分裂症最早出现在青春期晚期。该项目旨在了解青少年大脑发育过程中发生的分子变化，这些变化可能是精神分裂症行为异常的基础。我们将重点关注脑源性神经营养因子（BDNF），这是一种与精神分裂症有关的基因。通过研究这种基因在青少年大脑发育过程中的作用，我们将更好地了解这种基因的破坏是如何导致成年期精神分裂症样行为的。

Schizophrenia first appears clinically during late adolescence. This project seeks to understand the molecular changes that occur during adolescent brain development that may underlie the behavioural abnormalities found in schizophrenia. We will focus on Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a gene which when reduced is associated with schizophrenia. By examining the role of this gene during adolescent brain development, we will better understand how disruptions to this gene may lead to schizophrenia-like behaviours in adulthood.