Date of Presentation
5-5-2022 12:00 AM
College
School of Osteopathic Medicine
Poster Abstract
Schizophrenia (SZ) is one of the most severe forms of mental illness, yet mechanisms remain unclear. A widely established brain finding in SZ is hippocampal atrophy, and a coherent explanation similarly is lacking. Epidemiological evidence suggests increased cerebrovascular and cardiovascular complications in SZ independent of lifestyle and medication, pointing to disease-specific pathology. Endothelial cell contributions to blood-brain barrier (BBB) compromise may influence neurovascular unit and peripheral vascular function, and we hypothesize that downstream functional and structural abnormalities may be explained by impaired BBB.
Keywords
Schizophrenia, Blood-Brain Barrier, Mental Disorders
Disciplines
Cardiovascular System | Medical Neurobiology | Medicine and Health Sciences | Neurology | Neuroscience and Neurobiology | Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms | Psychiatry
Document Type
Poster
Included in
Cardiovascular System Commons, Medical Neurobiology Commons, Neurology Commons, Neuroscience and Neurobiology Commons, Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Commons, Psychiatry Commons
A Preliminary Report: The Hippocampus and Surrounding Temporal Cortex of Patients With Schizophrenia Have Impaired Blood-Brain Barrier
Schizophrenia (SZ) is one of the most severe forms of mental illness, yet mechanisms remain unclear. A widely established brain finding in SZ is hippocampal atrophy, and a coherent explanation similarly is lacking. Epidemiological evidence suggests increased cerebrovascular and cardiovascular complications in SZ independent of lifestyle and medication, pointing to disease-specific pathology. Endothelial cell contributions to blood-brain barrier (BBB) compromise may influence neurovascular unit and peripheral vascular function, and we hypothesize that downstream functional and structural abnormalities may be explained by impaired BBB.