Immune cells appear to be more active in the brains of people who are at risk of schizophrenia as well as those already diagnosed with the disease, according to a study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry. This finding could lead to a test for people who are most at risk of the schizophrenia.
Researchers at the Medical Research Council's (MRC) Clinical Sciences Centre at Imperial College London and at King's College London used positron emission tomography (PET) scans to measure levels of activity of immune cells in the brain. These cells are known as microglia and respond to damage and infection in the brain. They are also responsible for rearranging the connections between brain cells so that the cells work as well as possible; a process known as pruning.
The team studied 56 people including some who were diagnosed with schizophrenia, some at risk of the disease, and some with no symptoms or risk of the disorder. They found that activity levels of microglia in the brain increased according to the severity of the symptoms seen in people with schizophrenia. People with diagnosed schizophrenia had high levels of activity of these immune cells in their brain.
Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness. Symptoms include hallucinations, thoughts that are not based in reality, paranoia, depression, and social withdrawal.
"This is a promising study as it suggests that inflammation may lead to schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. We now aim to test whether anti-inflammatory treatments can target these. This could lead to new treatments or even prevention of the disorders altogether," Dr Oliver Howes, head of the psychiatric imaging group at the MRC Clinical Sciences Centre said in a statement.
"This study adds to a growing body of research that inflammation in the brain could be one of the factors contributing to a range of disorders - including Alzheimer's, schizophrenia and depression - and with this new knowledge comes the hope of life-changing treatments," said Professor Hugh Perry, Chair of the Neuroscience and Mental Health Board at the MRC
The research was funded by the MRC and King's College London.
