International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research

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A Widely Indexed Open Access Peer Reviewed Multidisciplinary Bi-monthly Scholarly International Journal

Call for Paper Volume 7, Issue 3 (May-June 2025) Submit your research before last 3 days of June to publish your research paper in the issue of May-June.

Synaptic Pruning in Schizophrenia: Manifestations and Antecedents

Author(s) Mr. Ishwar Kukreja, Mr. Aashish Bhagwath, Mr. Ashwin Shankaran
Country India
Abstract Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by structural and functional abnormalities in the brain. The synaptic pruning (SP) hypothesis, originally proposed by Irvin Feinberg (1982), suggests that excessive SP during adolescence contributes to the pathogenesis of SCZ. SP is a normal neurodevelopmental process wherein redundant synapses are eliminated to refine neural circuits. However, in SCZ, SP is aberrant and manifests as widespread grey matter depletion, reduced dendritic spine density, and cognitive deficits. This paper explores the structural and functional consequences of abnormal SP in SCZ and its potential antecedents, such as complement component 4 (C4) overexpression, neuroinflammation, NMDA receptor dysfunction, genes, and environmental deprivation and insults. Understanding the interplay between SP and schizophrenia pathophysiology may provide crucial insights into its neurodevelopmental origins and novel treatment strategies, especially for children showing early signs of psychosis.
Keywords Cognitive, grey matter, schizophrenia, synaptic pruning
Field Biology > Medical / Physiology
Published In Volume 7, Issue 3, May-June 2025
Published On 2025-05-07
DOI https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i03.44004
Short DOI https://doi.org/g9hsjd

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