Central Hypothesis


Schizophrenia is one of the most debilitating psychiatric disorders, affecting approximately 1% of the population worldwide. A number of antipsychotic drugs are available but these are often ineffective and do not treat all the symptoms of the disease. New therapeutics are needed but their discovery has been hampered by a limited understanding of the etiology of this complex neurological disorder, and a lack of clear understanding of the precise molecular mechanisms of action of available antipsychotic drugs. The major goal of the Conte Center at The Rockefeller University is to achieve a complete understanding of the cellular and molecular actions of antipsychotic drugs through innovative approaches allowing analysis of individual types of neurons within cortico-striatal circuits.

Project Leaders