Understanding adolescent neurodevelopment: relevance to schizophrenia

精神分裂症最早临床出现在青春期晚期。这个项目试图了解青春期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。我们将关注脑源性神经营养因子(BDNF)，这是一种基因，当减少时，与精神分裂症有关。通过研究这种基因在青春期大脑发育中的作用，我们将更好地理解这种基因的干扰如何可能导致成年后的精神分裂症样行为。

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.