Genes, computational modelling, and in vivoelectrophysiology in severe mental illnesses: from pathophysiology towards personalized medicine

The clarification of central pathophysiological mechanisms, identification of patient subgroups with distinct neural abnormalities, and development of novel diagnostic tools are critical steps towards personalized medicine and improved outcomes in schizophrenia (SCZ) and bipolar disorder (BD). On the basis of preclinical research and landmark genome-wide association studies, impaired glutamatergic neurotransmission and dysregulated neuronal excitability have emerged as two of the leading candidate mechanisms in SCZ and BD. The present project is conducted at the Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), where glutamatergic neurotransmission and neuronal excitability will be examined across genetics, induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived neurons, and in vivo electrophysiology in healthy individuals and individuals with SCZ or BD. This multi-disciplinary approach has the potential to provide new knowledge about central disease mechanisms in SCZ and BD.