Cited by 841Schizophrenia research and treatmentNeuroscience and Neuropharmacology ResearchFunctional Brain Connectivity Studies

Synaptic plasticity and dysconnection in schizophrenia

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Stephan, Klaas E., Baldeweg, Torsten, Friston, Karl J.·2006·Biological Psychiatry

Abstract

Current pathophysiological theories of schizophrenia highlight the role of altered brain connectivity. This dysconnectivity could manifest 1) anatomically, through structural changes of association fibers at the cellular level, and/or 2) functionally, through aberrant control of synaptic plasticity at the synaptic level. In this article, we review the evidence for these theories, focusing on the modulation of synaptic plasticity. In particular, we discuss how dysconnectivity, observed between brain regions in schizophrenic patients, could result from abnormal modulation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-dependent plasticity by other neurotransmitter systems. We focus on the implication of the dysconnection hypothesis for functional imaging at the systems level. In particular, we review recent advances in measuring plasticity in the human brain using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG) that can be used to address dysconnectivity in schizophrenia. Promising experimental paradigms include perceptual and reinforcement learning. We describe how theoretical and causal models of brain responses might contribute to a mechanistic understanding of synaptic plasticity in schizophrenia.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.biopsych.2005.10.005

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  • The findings support the proposed role of abnormal modulation of synaptic efficacy in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.

    “These findings support the proposed role of abnormal modulation of synaptic efficacy in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia (Friston and Frith, 1995, Friston, 1998, Stephan et al., 2006).”
  • In the context of psychiatric disorders, the availability of behavioral or brain activity measurements suggests that validated generative models could be developed into clinically applicable 'computational assays,' in analogy to biochemical assays in internal medicine.

    “In the context of psychiatric disorders, the relatively straightforward availability of behavioral or brain activity measurements suggests that validated generative models could be developed into clinically applicable “computational assays,” in analogy to biochemical assays in internal medicine (63).”
  • Similar Bayesian theories have previously been stated in the context of schizophrenia.

    “It is of interest to note that similar Bayesian theories have previously been stated in the context of schizophrenia (63, 68, 89–92).”
  • This model and variants thereof have already found widespread application to other psychiatric disorders with perceptual aberrations, in particular schizophrenia.

    “This model, and variants thereof, has already found widespread application to other psychiatric disorders with perceptual aberrations, in particular schizophrenia (63, 89, 90, 92, 107).”
  • Numerous neurophysiological studies have provided evidence for signaling of prediction errors along forward connections and predictions along backward connections.

    “Numerous neurophysiological studies have provided evidence for signaling of prediction errors along forward connections and predictions along backward connections [(63, 72) for reviews see (126, 127)].”

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Authors
Stephan, K. E., Baldeweg, T., & Friston, K. J.
Affiliations
  • UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology (GB)
  • Great Ormond Street Hospital (GB)
Corresponding author
Stephan, Klaas E.
Venue
Biological Psychiatry
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2006-05
Volume
59
Issue
10
Pages
929-939
ISSN
0006-3223 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W1998679999
Cited by
841
References
127
Citations by year
2026: 20 · 2025: 21 · 2024: 27 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 30 · 2021: 40 · 2020: 41 · 2019: 47 · 2018: 29 · 2017: 55 · 2016: 45 · 2015: 64 · 2014: 55 · 2013: 69 · 2012: 51
FWCI
5.96
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Biological Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich) (acceptedVersion)
  • UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
  • Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich) (submittedVersion)
  • Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich)
Funders
Wellcome Trust (056750)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Schizophrenia research and treatment
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Functional Brain Connectivity Studies
Keywords
schizophrenia, synaptic plasticity, brain dysconnectivity, neurotransmitter systems, perceptual learning, reinforcement learning, association fibers
MeSH terms
Acetylcholine, Brain, Brain Mapping, Contingent Negative Variation, Dopamine, Electroencephalography, Humans, Models, Neurological, Nerve Fibers, Nerve Net, Neuronal Plasticity, Schizophrenia, Synapses, N-Methylaspartate, Glutamic Acid

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