Schizophrenia is a disease with unknown pathophysiology and etiology. Until recently, what was best known about this disease was derived from clinical observations. Preclinical neuroscience is flourishing with discoveries and advances in all areas of brain function, particularly the cellular and the molecular.

As a way to explain the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, Schizophrenia in a Molecular Age reviews neuroscience mechanisms and analyzes genetic determinants. This book presents:

• A dimensional model of schizophrenia phenomenology that groups schizophrenia phenotypes into three groups: a reality distortion syndrome, a disorganization syndrome, and a psychomotor poverty syndrome
• Evidence for the neurobiologic basis of the cognitive impairments in schizophrenia
• New and evolving techniques of functional brain imaging and what they can tell us about normal brain function and its pathology
• Data on the anatomic units of cognition and correlates with gene and protein units
• The molecular mechanisms of antipsychotic drug action and the group of new antipsychotics
• New treatments to offer, including medications, and psychological and psychosocial interventions, which are significantly better than previous treatment options

The new molecular age presents an exciting opportunity for schizophrenia research. This book is a helpful tool for clinicians in gaining a fuller understanding of schizophrenia. It previews future advances in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.