V IE W S GABAergic Deficits in Schizophrenia: Evidence and Implications

Many biochemical theories have attempted to explain the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. The dopamine hypothesis is one of oldest and most popular biochemical theories, but it is too simplistic to account for all aspects of the illness. Other neurotransmitter systems, including glutamate, serotonin and a-aminobutyric acid (GABA), have been implicated in schizophrenia. The role of the GABA system in schizophrenia has been investigated, and research to date suggests that GABAergic decits contribute to both the pathophysiology and symptomatology of schizophrenia. In this review GABA neurotransmission in the central nervous system (CNS) is described, evidence for cortical and hippocampal GABAergic decits in schizophrenia is presented, and inferences about how these decits may contribute to schizophrenia symptomatology are made