Brain HealthBrain Scans Reveal Where Schizophrenia's Synaptic Loss Begins
Researchers used advanced PET brain scans to directly measure synaptic connections in living people with schizophrenia. Across 122 participants, those with schizophrenia showed widespread loss of synapses — the junctions that let brain cells communicate — with the left side of the brain hit hardest. The damage wasn't random: it concentrated in regions rich in serotonin, GABA, and glutamate receptors. Computer modeling further identified a specific left frontal brain area as a likely starting point from which synaptic loss spreads. Importantly, this synaptic damage didn't match patterns seen on standard MRI scans, suggesting it reflects a distinct biological process. The findings, published in Molecular Psychiatry, open new avenues for earlier detection and targeted treatment of cognitive decline linked to schizophrenia.
