Young adulthood window best to treat schizophrenia, autism for lasting effects: Study

New Delhi : Targeting and stimulating underperforming neurons in the dopamine system and increasing its activity in young adulthood could help treat neuropsychiatric disorders like schizophrenia and autism with long-lasting effects, according to a new study.

In mice, researchers from the University of Rochester, US, found that stimulating the neuron cells providing dopamine to the frontal cortex strengthened the circuit and rescued structural deficiencies in the brain that cause long-term symptoms.

In previous studies, the research team had found this specific arm of the dopamine system to be flexible in adolescents but not in adults.