New research (University of Geneva, 2022 as cited in ScienceDaily, 2022) hints at new methods for refinement and an earlier diagnosis of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders.
In new research, scientists hypothesized that gamma waves may play a part in schizophrenia. Gamma waves play a central role in information passing between regions of the brain. Activation of these waves aids in memory encoding and information synthesis.
Genetics:
The article that I'm summarising (at bottom) mentions that those with a chromosomal deletion - specifically 22q11have a "25 to 30%" chance of later developing schizophrenia. It is this group of people that scientists tested for gamma wave disruption due to problems in auditory processing.
Findings:
The research team found that there existed a strong correlation between gamma deactivation and the severity of psychotic symptoms. This disruption to gamma waves happened very early on and this revealed a progression to the disease which could be observed. With these findings, the key researcher described what they wished to focus on next:
"We now want to identify the best time during the child's development to intervene in relation to this pathological shift."
Research in mice suggests potential treatment plans might focus on repairing gamma-band waves and thus restoring proper information communication.
Article link:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/03/220303141227.htm