Gene expression in the prefrontal cortex during adolescence: implications for the onset of schizophrenia.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Many critical maturational processes take place in the human brain during postnatal development. In particular, the prefrontal cortex does not reach maturation until late adolescence and this stage is associated with substantial white matter volume increases. Patients with schizophrenia and other major psychiatric disorders tend to first present with overt symptoms during late adolescence/early adulthood and it has been proposed that this developmental stage represents a "window of vulnerability".

Methods

In this study we used whole genome microarrays to measure gene expression in post mortem prefrontal cortex tissue from human individuals ranging in age from 0 to 49 years. To identify genes specifically altered in the late adolescent period, we applied a template

SUBMITTER: Harris LW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2694209 | biostudies-literature | 2009 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature