Novel Treatment Approach in Schizophrenia: Substitution of Glial Binding Proteins

Abstract

In chronic schizophrenia, synaptic information processing is unbalanced, as shown in a model of glial-neuronal synaptic units, called tripartite synapses. The glial component of the synapse exerts a modifying function in neurotransmission since the astrocyte activated by neurotransmitters produces gliotransmitters that negatively feedback to the presynapse. It is hypothesized that in schizophrenia nonfunctional astrocytic receptors cannot be activated, thus losing their modulating function. This causes a generalization of information processing in the neuronal networks such that the brain is unable to distinguish between subjects and objects in the environment. Delusions, hallucinations and cognitive impairment occur on the behavioral level. In a model of a cholinergic tripartite synapse, it is shown that glial binding proteins modify neurotransmission by occupancy with cognate neurotransmitters temporarily turning off neurotransmission on the presynapse. Most recently, glial binding proteins have been engineered. It is proposed that the substitution of glial binding proteins may balance synaptic information processing in schizophrenia since these proteins exert a modulatory function comparable to functional astrocytic receptors. Rapid technical developments may enable this novel treatment approach in schizophrenia.