Cholinergic circuits and signaling in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia

Int Rev Neurobiol. 2007:78:193-223. doi: 10.1016/S0074-7742(06)78007-2.

Abstract

Central cholinergic signaling has long been associated with aspects of memory, motivation, and mood, each affected functions in neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia. In this chapter, we review evidence related to the core hypothesis that dysregulation of central cholinergic signaling contributes to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Although central cholinergic circuits are resistant to simplification-particularly when one tries to parse the contributions of various classes of cholinergic receptors to disease related phenomena--the potential role of ACh signaling in Schizophrenia pathophysiology deserves careful consideration for prospective therapeutics. The established role of cholinergic circuits in attentional tuning is considered along with recent work on how the patterning of cholinergic activity may modulate corticostriatal circuits affected in schizophrenia.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Acetylcholine / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Antipsychotic Agents / pharmacology
  • Brain / drug effects
  • Brain / metabolism*
  • Brain / physiopathology*
  • Cholinergic Fibers / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Neural Pathways / drug effects
  • Neural Pathways / metabolism
  • Neural Pathways / physiopathology
  • Receptors, Cholinergic / drug effects
  • Receptors, Cholinergic / metabolism
  • Schizophrenia / drug therapy
  • Schizophrenia / metabolism*
  • Schizophrenia / physiopathology
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Signal Transduction / physiology
  • Synaptic Transmission / drug effects
  • Synaptic Transmission / physiology

Substances

  • Antipsychotic Agents
  • Receptors, Cholinergic
  • Acetylcholine