Proteomics of the anterior cingulate cortex in schizophrenia

Proteomics provides the opportunity to visualise, quantify and ­hypothesise differences in protein expression, functions and interactions with the possibility of elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying the ­neuropathology of schizophrenia. The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC, Brodmann Area 24) is implicated in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia due to its normal physiological functions and connectivity, and from reports of structural, morphological and neurotransmitter aberrations within this brain area in the disease state. The current proteomic analysis, following subtraction of proteins similar to the alcoholic PFC proteome, and the risperidone-treated rat dorsal striatum, ­identified 22 proteins specifically altered in the ACC grey matter (GM) ­proteome, and 19 aberrant proteins in the ACC white matter (WM) proteome in schizophrenia. Functional classification of these proteins suggests that normal cellular ­metabolism is deficient, with an increase in oxidative stress and the utilisation of other energy pathways in both the GM and WM regions of the ACC in the disease state. Furthermore, this study reiterates the well-documented hypothesis of aberrant neurotransmission within this region in schizophrenia, and outlines the importance of both the WM tracts as well as the GM in aberrant synaptic activity. This study therefore provides some focussed avenues in the analysis of the molecular mechanisms of the ACC in schizophrenia.