Contralateral prefrontal projections in gerbils mature abnormally after early methamphetamine trauma and isolated rearing.

As previously shown, a miswiring of ipsilateral prefrontal projections after methamphetamine (MA) intoxication and/or isolated rearing (IR) may serve as a model of so-called "dysconnection" in human schizophrenia. We here find that deep prefrontal projections to contralateral targets were drastically reduced by both MA and IR alone, but remained equally dense if both impairments cumulated. Projections from superficial layers were not altered by MA and/or IR. These findings confirm that the normal intercortical integration of information is compromised in this animal model of schizophrenia.