A brain being rewired with light, symbolizing cognitive training for schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia Breakthrough: Cognitive Training Rewires Disturbed Brains

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Lena Kashyap in Health & Wellness December 2025 • 4 min read.

"Groundbreaking research reveals how targeted cognitive exercises can reshape brain function and improve behavior in schizophrenia-like conditions, offering new hope for enhanced treatments."


Schizophrenia, a complex and often misunderstood mental disorder, presents significant challenges in treatment. While medications can address some symptoms, cognitive impairments—such as memory and attention deficits—often persist, hindering overall recovery and quality of life. Recent research, however, is shedding light on a promising avenue: cognitive training. This approach aims to improve cognitive functions through targeted mental exercises, potentially rewiring the brain to overcome the disturbances caused by the disorder.

Animal models play a crucial role in advancing our understanding of schizophrenia, allowing scientists to investigate the disorder's underlying mechanisms and test potential treatments in a controlled environment. Researchers have developed various animal models, often based on pharmacological or genetic manipulations, to mimic aspects of the human condition. A new study focuses on a unique rat model, named "Wisket," which exhibits several schizophrenia-like symptoms, including sensory gating deficits, altered pain sensitivity, and cognitive dysfunction.

A groundbreaking study explores the effects of intensive cognitive training on Wisket rats, seeking to normalize disturbed behavioral patterns and improve cognitive abilities. This research, published in Physiology & Behavior, demonstrates the potential of cognitive training to reshape brain function and improve behavior in schizophrenia-like conditions, offering new hope for enhanced treatments.

Decoding the "Wisket" Rat Model: Mimicking Schizophrenia's Complexity

A brain being rewired with light, symbolizing cognitive training for schizophrenia.

The "Wisket" rat model was created to mirror the multifaceted nature of schizophrenia. Unlike models that focus on single neurotransmitter systems or genetic loci, Wisket rats are developed through a "multiple hit" approach, combining genetic predisposition with environmental factors. This involves selective breeding from the Wistar strain, post-weaning isolation, and subchronic ketamine treatment. This approach has led to rats exhibiting a range of schizophrenia-like symptoms:

This combination of factors allows researchers to study a broader spectrum of schizophrenia-related deficits, offering a more comprehensive understanding of the disorder's complexities. In particular, the Wisket model demonstrates reduced exploratory activity and cognitive dysfunctions, making it ideal for studying the impact of cognitive training.

  • Disturbed sensory gating
  • Altered pain sensitivity and thermoregulation
  • Electroencephalographic abnormalities
  • Changes in opioid and cannabinoid receptor functions
The researchers used a specialized apparatus called AMBITUS—a combination of a hole-board and corridor test—to assess the rats' exploratory activity and learning abilities. AMBITUS allows for detailed observation and measurement of various behavioral parameters, providing insights into locomotion, exploration, and food-collecting behaviors. This system is designed to mimic the natural environment of rats, offering a more ecologically valid assessment of their cognitive functions.

The Future of Schizophrenia Treatment: Rewiring the Brain for Recovery

This study provides compelling evidence for the potential of cognitive training to improve behavioral and cognitive deficits in schizophrenia. By demonstrating that intensive mental exercises can reshape brain function in an animal model, this research opens new avenues for developing enhanced therapeutic strategies for humans. Further studies are needed to fully understand the underlying mechanisms and optimize cognitive training protocols, but the initial findings offer a promising glimpse into the future of schizophrenia treatment.

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Everything You Need To Know

1

What is the primary focus of the groundbreaking research on schizophrenia?

The primary focus of the research is on the effects of targeted cognitive exercises on brain function and behavior in schizophrenia-like conditions. This involves investigating how intensive mental exercises can normalize disturbed brain activity and behavioral patterns, with the goal of improving cognitive functions and overall recovery. This is explored using the "Wisket" rat model.

2

How does cognitive training offer a new approach to treating schizophrenia?

Cognitive training offers a new approach by directly targeting the cognitive impairments that often persist even with medication. The approach aims to improve cognitive functions, such as memory and attention, through targeted mental exercises. This potentially rewires the brain to overcome the disturbances caused by the disorder, offering a pathway to improved recovery and quality of life for individuals with schizophrenia.

3

What is the significance of the "Wisket" rat model in schizophrenia research?

The "Wisket" rat model is significant because it mimics the multifaceted nature of schizophrenia. It was developed through a "multiple hit" approach, combining genetic predisposition with environmental factors to exhibit a range of schizophrenia-like symptoms, including sensory gating deficits, altered pain sensitivity, and cognitive dysfunction. This allows researchers to study a broader spectrum of deficits and gain a more comprehensive understanding of the disorder's complexities, making it ideal for studying the impact of cognitive training.

4

Can you describe the AMBITUS apparatus and its role in the study?

AMBITUS is a specialized apparatus used to assess the "Wisket" rats' exploratory activity and learning abilities. It combines a hole-board and corridor test to provide detailed observation and measurement of various behavioral parameters, including locomotion, exploration, and food-collecting behaviors. The AMBITUS system is designed to mimic the natural environment of rats, offering a more ecologically valid assessment of their cognitive functions and allowing researchers to evaluate the impact of cognitive training on their behavior.

5

What are the key findings of this study and what are the implications for the future of schizophrenia treatment?

The key findings of this study demonstrate that intensive cognitive training can reshape brain function and improve behavioral and cognitive deficits in the "Wisket" rat model. This research opens new avenues for developing enhanced therapeutic strategies for humans. While further studies are needed, the initial findings offer a promising glimpse into the future of schizophrenia treatment, suggesting that cognitive training could be a valuable addition to existing treatment approaches, potentially leading to improved outcomes and quality of life for individuals with schizophrenia.

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