Stachowiak’s Mini-Brain Research Suggests Schizophrenia Originates Early in Pregnancy

A new study led by Michal K. Stachowiak, PhD, professor of pathology and anatomical sciences, uses cerebral organoids, or mini-brains, to understand the cause of schizophrenia. After growing the mini-brains, the research group saw architectural difference in the cortex: immature cells that would one day turn into neurons were spreading out in too many directions with too much distance between them. “I think for the first time we have a proper experimental tool to try to see if we can either correct or prevent some of these events,” he said.