Project Summary

Nitsan Kozlovsky, Ph.D. (Young Investigator 2002) of Ben Gurion University, is studying the Wnt family of genes which is central to normal brain development.  The neurodevelopmental hypothesis postulates that schizophrenia may result when an as yet unidentified event occurs during pregnancy or at an early postnatal period.  Dr. Kozlovsky has recently summarized findings supporting the neurodevelopmental hypothesis of schizophrenia.  Specifically, she is studying glycogen synthase kinase-3B (GSK-3B), an enzyme which is highly conserved during evolution and highly abundant in brain tissue, which is believed to play a role in multiple cellular processes including metabolism, proliferation, differentiation and development.  She will study the possibility that GSK-3 protein levels may be genetically determined.  She hopes to enhance understanding of her recent intriguing findings that low GSK-3 levels and activity in the frontal cortex occurs in schizophrenic patients.

Program Area: SCHIZOPHRENIA/PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS\Schizophrenia

Search Again