British researchers report they’ve found a link between brain inflammation and schizophrenia, a complex psychiatric disorder that affects as many as 51 million adults worldwide.
The researchers at the Medical Research Council’s Clinical Sciences Centre at Imperial College London used PET scans to assess immune cell activity in the brains of 56 adults. Some had been diagnosed with schizophrenia; some were at risk for it; the remainder had no symptoms or risk factors for the disease.
The results showed that immune cells were more active in the brains of those with or at risk for schizophrenia, according to the study published in the Oct. 16 edition of the American Journal of Psychiatry. These cells, known as microglia, respond to damage and infection in the brain, and are also responsible for rearranging the connections between brain cells so that they work as well as possible; a process known as pruning.
“Our findings are particularly exciting because it was previously unknown whether these cells become active before or after onset of the disease. Now we have shown this early involvement, mechanisms of the disease and new medications can hopefully be uncovered,“ Peter Bloomfield, lead author of the study at the Medical Research Council, said in a news release.
Researchers say the findings could change clinicians’ understanding of the disease, and help lead to earlier diagnosis and more effective treatments. According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the disease affects about 1 in 100 people. Its causes are unknown, but genetic factors, chemical imbalances in the brain and viral infection may all contribute to its development.
Dr. Oliver Howes, head of the psychiatric imaging group at the Centre, added, “Schizophrenia is a potentially devastating disorder and we desperately need new treatments to help sufferers, and ultimately to prevent it. 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.”
Treatments are available for schizophrenia, but patients often have to try several before they find a combination that works, and it’s not uncommon for patients to stop taking the drugs because of severe side effects, including weight gain and uncontrollable muscle movement.
