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Thalamus likely plays a role in development of schizophrenia

Further data are emerging that demonstrate the thalamus is likely involved in the aberrant connectivity that is associated with schizophrenia.

Fabio Ferrarelli, MD, PhD, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and colleagues recently published their data from a study in which they stimulated the precentral gyrus of 14 patients with schizophrenia and measured the response against 14 healthy controls using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

The researchers reported decreased responses in the thalamus, the medial superior frontal cortex and the insula for patients with schizophrenia compared with controls when their precentral gyrus were stimulated using single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation.

Ferrarelli and colleagues wrote that the findings were “interesting” and could represent a new biological measure to identify patients with this disease. They also added that their data, along with previous data showing the thalamus’ role in schizophrenia, could open up new avenues of therapeutic research for these patients.

The researchers noted some study limitations, specifically, that their results will need to be replicated in larger studies. “Additionally, further investigation with first degree relatives will be necessary for understanding the potential genetic components of the abnormality in the thalamus,” the researchers wrote. They added that future studies will also need to assess other demographic variables, and whether or not a misfiring thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN) may also play a role in schizophrenia.

Disclosures: The researchers reported no relevant financial conflicts.