Ayhan and Burrows

Both papers had some interesting findings about what factors could influence schizophrenia. Burrows was focued more on an external stimuli that impact schizophrenia, whereas Ayhan was more about internal mechanisms with gene expression, specifically through natal development. Both papers had fairly convincing data, which could indicate that multiple factors play into schizophrenia. The Burrows paper found that Environmental Enrichment helped combat the effects of schizophrenia, while the Ayhan paper found that when a gene identified with Schizophrenia is turned on in particular stages of development, it has differing effects. The most convincing effect was that of postnatal expression, which had the most symptoms of schizophrenia. I found it interesting that the Burrows paper used a glutamatergic model for schizophrenia, where we have learned about other models involving MAM and dopamine. The Ayhan paper has interesting potential, such as if we can identify this gene being passed from mother to offspring, there may be a way to deactivate the gene during postnatal development, to help prevent a schizophrenic phenotype. I would also be interested to see how an enriched environment affected the test groups in the Ayhan paper, if or how it would affect the pre-, post-, and ppp natal groups differently. The environmental enrichment paradigm shows promise to be implemented as a therapy tool, if a person can possibly change their lifestyle to be more stimulating, it may be able to help as a therapeutic intervention.