A mechanism to inhibit input activation and its dysfunction in schizophrenia

Abstract

Schizophrenics appear to be unable to regulate adequately the effects of external stimulation, but the cause of this deficit is unclear. Recent evidence suggests that input activation can normally be inhibited by an appropriate leading or conditioning stimulus; such inhibition has been found to be diminished in schizophrenics. Based on this evidence, a feed-forward regulating mechanism that serves to stabilise reactivity to environmental events is described; it is hypothesised that failure of the mechanism to inhibit adequately surges of activity is an underlying cause of schizophrenic symptoms. Some ways to test the validity of the mechanism are proposed, and an outline presented of steps to link the mechanism's dysfunction to schizophrenia.