Glutamatergic System in Schizophrenia

Abstract

Schizophrenia is one of the most common, devastating, and least understood psychiatric disorders of the human population. The theories of schizophrenia have been dominated for many years by neuropharmacology that implicates aberrant neurotransmission systems, a central role being played by dopamine and glutamate. The present paper briefly summarizes glutamate receptor physiology and up-to-date findings of glutamatergic dysfunction in schizophrenia, with a focus on pre- and post-synaptic markers, genetics, pharmacological studies, and their therapeutic implications.