Proteomic and Metabolomic Evidence for Glial Alterations in Schizophrenia

Abstract

It has become clear that glial cells play a major role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. There are three main glial cell populations in the brain, (1) astrocytes, (2) oligodendrocytes and (3) microglia, and all three glial populations have been implicated in this disorder. Abnormalities in glial function may be further elucidated by quantification and characterization of proteins and other molecules expressed by these cell populations. In this review we evaluate evidence for changes in expression of oligodendrocyte-, astrocyte-and microglia-associated proteins and metabolites in cortical grey and white matter in schizophrenia.