A team of researchers has identified a rare brain cell that plays a critical role in preventing schizophrenia-related symptoms. The discovery could mark a step toward targeted therapies that may help prevent schizophrenia by correcting disruptions in brain development before symptoms emerge.
The findings come from scientists at the University of Copenhagen, who focused on a genetic mutation known as 15q13.3 microdeletion syndrome. This mutation is linked to several neurodevelopmental disorders in humans, including schizophrenia, epilepsy and autism.
In mice with this mutation, researchers observed unusually high activity in a specific type of brain cell. When they reduced the cell’s activity, the animals began showing normalized behavior and sleep patterns.
Assistant Professor Navneet A. Vasistha, one of the study’s lead authors, said that using a technique called chemogenetics, the team was able to restore normal sleep in the mice by lowering the activity of the affected cells.
He explained that this brain cell could become a future target for treatment. The long-term goal is to develop highly specific therapies that reduce cognitive symptoms without affecting the rest of the brain, minimizing side effects.
New focus on treating cognitive symptoms
Cognitive challenges like memory problems, poor concentration and difficulty with daily tasks are common in schizophrenia but are often overshadowed by more visible symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions.
Current treatments do little to address these cognitive impairments. According to Professor Konstantin Khodosevich, who co-led the study, these symptoms likely result from brain development disruptions that begin before birth.
Brain Cells That May Prevent Schizophrenia Symptoms Identified
A breakthrough study reveals that overactivity in a small group of brain cells may be the root of certain schizophrenia-related symptoms.
In mice with a genetic mutation linked to the disorder, calming these… pic.twitter.com/CCOKdghG0W
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The research, published in the journal Neuron, suggests the brain can compensate for early developmental issues for many years. Katarina Dragicevic, one of the study’s first authors, said that symptoms may appear later because significant brain changes don’t occur until adolescence.
She tracked brain development from the fetal stage to adulthood and found that the most dramatic changes take place during the transition from childhood to adolescence. Before this stage, the brain shows only minor molecular changes, possibly explaining the delayed onset of symptoms.
Early brain cell changes offer hope to prevent Schizophrenia
Dragicevic said the period before adolescence could present a window for early intervention. She noted that the brain remains relatively stable until a specific point, after which its ability to compensate for earlier damage is lost.
To monitor brain function, researchers studied sleep patterns in mice, since sleep disruptions are common in psychiatric disorders.
They found that the rare brain cell, although small in number, plays a key role in regulating sleep and may influence other psychiatric symptoms.
While human trials remain a distant goal, researchers believe the discovery opens the door to more precise treatment approaches.
