精神分裂症的病理生理学机制尚未完全明确,但是已经确定了一系列基础结构和脑功能异常。[17]Kuswanto CN, Teh I, Lee T-S, et al. Diffusion tensor imaging findings of white matter changes in first episode schizophrenia: a systematic review. Clin Psychopharmacol Neurosci. 2012 Apr;10(1):13-24.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3569158/http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23429992?tool=bestpractice.com 通过对危险期(疾病初次发作前数月到数年的时间)和早期精神分裂症患者的脑影像学研究,发现了许多神经解剖学差异。[18]Huber G. Prodromal symptoms in schizophrenia [in German]. Fortschr Neurol Psychiatr. 1995 Apr;63(4):131-8.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7759051?tool=bestpractice.com 包括:脑容量总体减少 5% 至 10%;侧脑室和第三脑室体积增大;杏仁核和海马区体积缩小;前额叶皮质体积的轻微缩小;皮质下结构(例如小脑、尾状核和丘脑结构)体积的减少;大脑半球不对称性的逆转或损失。[19]McCarley RW, Wible CG, Frumin M, et al. MRI anatomy of schizophrenia. Biol Psychiatry. 1999 May 1;45(9):1099-119.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2846838/http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10331102?tool=bestpractice.com
从功能上来说,当精神分裂症患者进行执行认知功能时,患者前额叶皮质的激活减少并且 δ 睡眠(慢波睡眠)减少。事件相关电位(event-related potential,ERP)P300 能够衡量感觉刺激信号时的脑电活动。在 P300 和 P50 范式中,分别在 300 ms 和 50 ms 时重复两种相关刺激。与无家族病史的对照组相比,受累患者出现 P300 振幅减小和注意力相关的 P50 诱发反应的习惯化下降。[20]Andreasen NC, Rezai K, Alliger R, et al. Hypofrontality in neuroleptic-naive patients and in patients with chronic schizophrenia. Assessment with xenon 133 single-photon emission computed tomography and the Tower of London. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1992 Dec;49(12):943-58.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1360199?tool=bestpractice.com[21]Keshavan MS, Reynolds CF, Miewald MJ, et al. Delta sleep deficits in schizophrenia: evidence from automated analyses of sleep data. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1998 May;55(5):443-8.http://archpsyc.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=203894http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9596047?tool=bestpractice.com[22]Salisbury DF, Shenton ME, McCarley RW. P300 topography differs in schizophrenia and manic psychosis. Biol Psychiatry. 1999 Jan 1;45(1):98-106.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9894581?tool=bestpractice.com[23]Light GA, Geyer MA, Clementz BA, et al. Normal P50 suppression in schizophrenia patients treated with atypical antipsychotic medications. Am J Psychiatry. 2000 May;157(5):767-71.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10784470?tool=bestpractice.com 这些异常在接受抗精神病药物治疗后可能得到改善。
目前普遍认为造成这些异常的根本原因是神经递质之间的不平衡。许多神经递质能够发挥作用,包括多巴胺、5-羟色胺和谷氨酸盐。[24]Sawa A, Snyder SH. Schizophrenia: diverse approaches to a complex disease. Science. 2002 Apr 26;296(5568):692-5.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11976442?tool=bestpractice.com 尽管缺乏确切的数据,但有少量证据支持多巴胺功能亢进假说,该假说提出,中脑边缘系统通路中的多巴胺能神经元的极度活跃是关键的不平衡因素。[25]Laruelle M. Imaging dopamine transmission in schizophrenia: a review and meta-analysis. Q J Nucl Med. 1998 Sep;42(3):211-21.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9796369?tool=bestpractice.com[26]Laruelle M, Abi-Dargham A. Dopamine as the wind of the psychotic fire: new evidence from brain imaging studies. J Psychopharmacol. 1999 Dec;13(4):358-71.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10667612?tool=bestpractice.com 阻断多巴胺功能的药物能够减少精神病症状,而那些增加多巴胺水平的药物则能够引起症状加剧。
兴奋性中毒是解释以长期恶化为特征的典型病程的另一假说。过度刺激海马的谷氨酸神经元可导致该神经元毒性和最终退化。[27]Schobel SA, Chaudhury NH, Khan UA, et al. Imaging patients with psychosis and a mouse model establishes a spreading pattern of hippocampal dysfunction and implicates glutamate as a driver. Neuron. 2013 Apr 10;78(1):81-93.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3966570/http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23583108?tool=bestpractice.com