Abstract
The pathological mechanisms underlying schizophrenia are unclear in spite of the numerous successful findings from human genetics. Although genetic susceptibility factors for schizophrenia likely influence neurodevelopmental processes, the onset of the disease is in adolescence and young adulthood. Here we overview recent literatures implicating neurodevelopmental deficits in schizophrenia and discuss how genetic factors function during late neurodevelopment. We emphasize the importance of postnatal glutamate synapse development in the pathology of the disorder, particularly focusing on the synaptic function of DISC1 (Disrupted- In- Schizophrenia- 1) . These genetic risk factors contribute to the process possibly in a synergistic manner, which might be involved in the processes toward onset of the disease. The notion of signal pathways involving more than one genetic factor is in accord with the multifactorial nature of schizophrenia.
