People at higher risk of schizophrenia due to infection and active immune cells in the brain, say scientists

Suffering from inflammation in the brain can increase the risk of people developing schizophrenia, a new study reveals. More active immune cells in the brain responding to the damage and infection were found to occur in people diagnosed with schizophrenia and those at risk of the disease.

The study, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, reveals that the cells called microglia are responsible for the process known as “pruning,” which is the rearrangement of the connections between brain cells for them to work better. The researchers found that people with schizophrenia and those at risk of the disease had high levels of activity of immune cells in their brain.

The team measured the levels of activity of the immune cells through positron emission tomography (PET) scans in 56 participants. The test involved people already diagnosed with schizophrenia, those only at risk of the disease, and those who have no symptoms or risk of the disorder.

“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 UK’s Medical Research Council.

The researchers noted that the immune cells were previously unknown to be active before or after onset of the disorder. “Now we have shown this early involvement, mechanisms of the disease, and new medications can hopefully be uncovered,” said Peter Bloomfield, doctoral student and lead author of the study at the MRC Clinical Sciences Centre.

The researchers believe that the findings could completely change the understanding of schizophrenia and would raise the possibility of offering early tests for people at risk of the disorder. The improvement could help individuals avoid the most severe symptoms and prevent the initial development of schizophrenia, the researchers added.

Schizophrenia is described as a potentially devastating disorder, which highly requires new treatments to help sufferers and to prevent the disease, according to Dr Oliver Howes, head of the psychiatric imaging group at the MRC Clinical Sciences Centre.

“This is a promising study as it suggests that inflammation may lead to schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders,” he added. The researchers are now aiming to test the effectiveness of current anti-inflammatory treatments on the disorder and to develop preventions for psychotic disorders in general.

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