Role of cholinergic system and calcium synchronization in schizophrenia.

A considerable body of evidence exists in the literature regarding impairment of signal-to-noise ratio in schizophrenia. The pathophysiologic role of cholinergic systems via calcium release and acetylcholine's involvement precedes dopamine regulation in processing information. We therefore hypothesize that acetylcholine dysregulation precedes dopamine dysregulation in schizophrenia. This is an earlier step associated with reception of the initial signal prior to the processing of a received signal by dopamine in the prefrontal cortex. The cholinergic system has a major impact on cognitive abilities, especially learning and memory, through acetylcholine. Reception and relay of sensory information through the process of arousal along the corticothalamic tracts to accomplish higher-level decision-making functions via acetylcholine is well established. The uncoupling of the received information (the signal) from the transfer of that information (the relay) to higher attentional and executive functions for processing of that information (the assembly) may possibly lead to altered perception.