Cheng BF, Liang Y, Wu Q. Unraveling the mysteries of schizophrenia: Insights into prefrontal cortex dysfunction and therapeutic implications. World J Psychiatry 2025; 15(11): 107604 [DOI: 10.5498/wjp.v15.i11.107604]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Qian Wu, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Soochow University, No. 899 Pinghai Road, Suzhou 215123, Jiangsu Province, China. qianwujoint@163.com
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Neurosciences
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Review
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This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Nov 19, 2025 (publication date) through Nov 4, 2025
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World Journal of Psychiatry
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2220-3206
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Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA
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Cheng BF, Liang Y, Wu Q. Unraveling the mysteries of schizophrenia: Insights into prefrontal cortex dysfunction and therapeutic implications. World J Psychiatry 2025; 15(11): 107604 [DOI: 10.5498/wjp.v15.i11.107604]
World J Psychiatry. Nov 19, 2025; 15(11): 107604 Published online Nov 19, 2025. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v15.i11.107604
Unraveling the mysteries of schizophrenia: Insights into prefrontal cortex dysfunction and therapeutic implications
Bing-Fei Cheng, Ye Liang, Qian Wu
Bing-Fei Cheng, Ye Liang, Department of Neuroscience, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
Ye Liang, Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Health, Hong Kong Institute of Science and Innovation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hong Kong 999077, China
Qian Wu, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, Jiangsu Province, China
Co-corresponding authors: Ye Liang and Qian Wu.
Author contributions: Liang Y and Wu Q designed this review structure and made equal contributions as co-corresponding authors; Liang Y wrote the draft; Cheng BF wrote the manuscript; Liang Y and Cheng BF revised the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Qian Wu, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Soochow University, No. 899 Pinghai Road, Suzhou 215123, Jiangsu Province, China. qianwujoint@163.com
Received: March 28, 2025 Revised: May 21, 2025 Accepted: August 18, 2025 Published online: November 19, 2025 Processing time: 221 Days and 17.6 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: Schizophrenia is characterized by cognitive deficits, emotional dysregulation, and executive dysfunction. This review highlights the central role of prefrontal cortex (PFC) dysfunction in the manifestation of these symptoms. Structural abnormalities, functional dysconnectivity, and microcircuit dysregulation within the PFC contribute significantly to the disorder’s pathology. A comprehensive understanding of these neurobiological mechanisms is vital for the development of targeted therapeutic approaches. Both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments aimed at modulating PFC activity show considerable promise in alleviating the core symptoms of schizophrenia. Ongoing research into PFC dysfunction remains essential for devising effective therapies and improving outcomes for individuals affected by this complex disorder.
