Reciprocal information flow between prefrontal cortex and ventral tegmental area in an animal model of schizophrenia.

The medial prefrontal cortex (PFC) is anatomically and functionally connected with the ventral tegmental area (VTA), the neuronal source of mesocorticolimbic system that is pathophysiologically related to schizophrenia-like symptoms. Methamphetamine (MAP) was applied to examine the functional relationship between PFC and VTA in an animal model of schizophrenia. Hyperactivity and stereotyped behavior were observed accompanied by a distinctive direction of information flow. In hyperactivity, information flow in the direction from PFC to VTA was dominant. Contrarily, dominant information flow from VTA to PFC was found in stereotyped behavior. These results indicate that dysfunctional interaction between PFC and VTA is the neuronal basis of MAP-induced schizophrenia-like psychosis. The information flow and its direction can be useful tool to explain the neurogenesis of these abnormal behaviors.