Thus, the emergence of treatment-resistant positive symptoms suggests that these symptoms have taken on “a life of their own,” ie, have become independent of DA stimulation. A better understanding of the consequences of sustained dopaminergic activity on the plasticity of prefrontal-striatothalamic loops is needed to further characterize the neurobiological effects of sustained hyperdopaminergic state. Figure 3. Schematic representation Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical of ventral limbic circuits implicated in the positive symptoms of schizophrenia (adapted from reference 96). The nucleus accumbens receives major excitatory inputs from
the prefrontal cortex (PFC), basolateral amygdala, and hippocampus, … The ubiquitous role of DA in the creation of these hypothetical psychotic ensembles remains to be established. Whether DA hyperactivity has been present, at some point, or another in the life of every schizophrenic patient with positive symptoms is uncertain. A deficiency in glutamate transmission that would impair appropriate modulation of prefrontal-striatothalamic
Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical loops by afferents from the amygdala-hippocampal complex is another mechanism that might induce positive symptoms in the absence of overactivity of DA transmission.12,68,97 In other words, endogenous sensitization of dopaminergic systems might, Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical represent, only one avenue, among others, leading to chronic and/or recurrent psychotic episodes. Implications for treatment The model Calcitriol cost proposed here involves a three-step process, in
which neurodevelopmental abnormalities associated with schizophrenia set the stage for sensitization of DA systems. Sustained hyperactivity of DA neurons resulting from this sensitization Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical process leads to neuroplastic changes downstream from the DA synapse (Figure 4). This neuroplastic adaptation underlies the psychotic Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical experience. If untreated, activities in these aberrant circuits become independent from increased DA activity. On the other hand, early treatment will reverse these neuroplastic changes and induce an extinction of the sensitization process. In other words, it might be important to evaluate the role of DA in schizophrenia within the context of a brain with a history, divided into a predopaminergic, a dopaminergic, and a postdopaminergic era. Figure 4. Model describing the role of subcortical dopamine (DA) dysregulation in the chain of events leading to clinical expression of positive symptoms in schizophrenia. It is postulated that neurodevelopmental abnormalities, Dacomitinib resulting from complex interactions … This model clearly supports the rationale for D2 blockade during periods of illness exacerbation, and the need for early intervention during prodromal states. It also suggests the need for new relapse prevention strategies. Currently, pharmacological “maintenance” during remission phases is based on dopaminergic D2 receptor blockade. These treatments succeed at preventing the reemergence of sensitization and at reducing the risk of relapse.
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