Elin Elrander-Tottie

COGNITIVE FUNCTIONS IN AN ANIMAL MODEL OF SCHIZOPHRENIA: IMPORTANCE OF GLUTAMATERGIC AND SEROTONERGIC NEUROTRANSMISSION

Schizophrenia is a complex neurological disorder, affecting approximately 1% of the population. Deficits in cognitive performance in schizophrenia patients have received much attention during the last decade. However, these dysfunctions do not respond to treatment with classical antipsychotic drugs and have, therefore, often been the cause of therapeutic failure. Recent studies have shown that some novel, atypical antipsychotic drugs such as clozapine have some procognitive effects in schizophrenic patients. Nevertheless, the clinical outcome is modest, why better treatments are necessary to promote functional recovery in these patients.

My research project aims to further investigate the behavioral and molecular mechanisms underlying these cognitive deficits, by using an animal model of schizophrenia. Both short- and long term memory as well as emotional memory is assessed in different behavioral models, and pharmacological tools are used to further assess the involvement of different brain systems in these cognitive tests. Following behavioral testing, molecular studies are carried out to investigate the role of different receptor subtypes and signaling proteins, with focus on possible interactions between the glutamatergic and serotonergic systems. The goal is to obtain a better knowledge about the neuronal systems underlying the cognitive deficits observed in schizophrenia, which could result in more efficient drug treatment for these patients.