Ok , so one of the first newspapers  I read every day is The Independent ( actually The Guardian first Independent second)!…. Does this say something about me?  So here is a piece from today’s paper which I  am sure will be of interest … given that   schizophrenia is one of the most searched  topics on our blog!  Unlocked: The Secrets of Schizophrenia .

Source: The Independent

Patients with schizophrenia are able to correctly see through an illusion known as the ‘hollow mask’ illusion, probably because their brain disconnects ‘what the eyes see’ from what ‘the brain thinks it is seeing’, according to a joint UK and German study published in the journal NeuroImage. The findings shed light on why cannabis users may also be less deceived by the illusion whilst on the drug. [continue reading…]

A gene strongly implicated in schizophrenia is essential for normal brain development and the growth of new neurons in the adult brain, according to new research by Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) scientists.
A research team led by HHMI investigator Li-Huei Tsai at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology found that a mutated form of the gene disrupts the growth and development of brain cells. Their findings may provide new
targets for the development of novel drugs to treat schizophrenia.
The researchers also showed that the gene DISC1 is part of the signaling pathway targeted by the mood stabilizer lithium. “For the first time, we have linked an evolutionarily conserved signaling pathway with schizophrenia,”says Tsai. “The beauty of knowing that this is the signaling pathway is that researchers now have many new targets to aim for as they develop drugs to treat schizophrenia.” [continue reading…]