Neuropeptide Systems and Schizophrenia

Title:Neuropeptide Systems and Schizophrenia

Volume: 12 Issue: 5

Author(s): Amber L. LaCrosse and M. Foster Olive

Affiliation:

Keywords: Schizophrenia, antipsychotic, dopamine, neuropeptide, positive symptoms, negative symptoms, cognitive deficits.

Abstract: Schizophrenia affects approximately 1% of the world population, and the majority of pharmacologically based treatments for this disorder are ligands that interact with monoaminergic transmission. However, there is a wealth of evidence that various neuropeptides are often co-released with monoamine neurotransmitters, and that ligands acting at neuropeptide receptors modulate monoaminergic transmission as well as schizophrenia-related behaviors in preclinical animal models. Such neuropeptide systems include neurotensin, cholecystokinin, corticotropin releasing factor, neuropeptide Y, oxytocin, opioid peptides, tachykinins, thyrotropin-releasing hormone, and orexins. The purpose of this review will be to summarize the existing preclinical and clinical literature on the role of various neuropeptide systems as modulators of schizophrenia-related behaviors, and the potential of targeting these systems for the development of novel antipsychotic medications.

Cite this article as:

LaCrosse L. Amber and Olive Foster M., Neuropeptide Systems and Schizophrenia, CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets 2013; 12 (5) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1871527311312050010