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Clinical And Clinical Research Project

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Finlay (2001) investigated how schizophrenic symptoms are paralleled by complex structural and functional abnormalities in brain regions such as the thalamus, the prefrontal cortex and the temporal lobe. As a result of the delayed onset of symptoms in early adulthood, abnormal development occurs in the nervous system which may contribute greatly to the neurobiology of the disorder. Weinberger’s (1988) longstanding hypothesis focused on the dysfunction of the prefrontal cortex and the association with schizophrenic cognitive deficits. Furthermore, Finlay’s (2001) research focused on the concept of a dysfunction of the mesoprefrontal DA neurons that may relate to the cognitive deficits associated with schizophrenia. As the clinical symptoms of this disorder emerge during early adulthood, abnormal developmental processes are thought to contribute to the pathos-physiology of the disorder. It was discovered the the DA intervention of the prefrontal cortex undergoes significant change up until adulthood which leads to Finlay’s hypothesis that the abnormal development of this system may be related to the emergence of schizophrenia. Experimental and clinical research portrayed the relationship between this system, and abnormalities in cognitive performance. Another interesting finding by Finlay (2001), was that impaired function of mesoprefrontal DA may be the causation of decreased density of DA- which contains nerve endings within the prefrontal cortex of afflicted individuals.

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