New models of the pathophysiology of schizophrenia: Editors' introduction

Abstract

New models of the pathogenesis of schizophrenia are presented. These models represent hypotheses intended to stimulate discussion and new experimentation. Each of the contributions approach the pathophysiology of schizophrenia from a unique perspective. Yet, all of them emphasize the integration of new advances in basic neuroscience, the functional neuroanatomy of schizophrenia, and information drawn from new biotechnologies, such as neuroimaging and molecular genetics, to provide unique insights into schizophrenia. In each case, the novel hypotheses proposed also illustrate the continuing need for a better understanding of the dynamic interaction between synaptic plasticity and neural circuitry for further our understanding of the human brain in health and disease.