Dear Colleagues,

Schizophrenia is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder, arising from a combination of genetic and environmental factors that affect brain development and function, with concrete consequences on the patients’ quality of life. Understanding the mechanisms behind schizophrenia, from molecular pathways to brain circuit disruptions, is crucial for developing reliable diagnostic systems and new effective treatments. Indeed, although current antipsychotic medications primarily address symptoms, research is actively exploring new therapeutic avenues targeting the underlying mechanisms of the illness, including neuroinflammation and glutamate neurotransmission.

This special issue of Alpha Psychiatry will explore the neurobiological mechanisms underlying schizophrenia and related disorders, including, but not limited to neurodevelopmental factors, genetic predisposition, environmental influences, neurotransmitter imbalances, neuroinflammation, recent new clinical studies on treatments (including research exploring dopamine hypothesis, glutamate hypothesis, neuroinflammation research, early intervention, clinical staging models).

We welcome original studies, literature reviews, meta-analyses, as well as comparisons between patient groups, exposures to conventional or experimental pharmacological or biological non-pharmacological treatment, and development of different research protocols.

We look forward to your contributions!

Dr. Renato de Filippis
Guest Editor