Is Schizophrenia Preventable?

Schizophrenia can be prevented by calming the brain’s immune system, says scientists.

16:25 19 October 2015

A recent study has established a link between overactive brain immune system to developing schizophrenia. A UK Medical Research Council team is now attempting to prevent the development of the disease by testing anti-inflammatory drugs that can calm the brain’s immune system. Experts say that the study can lead to furthered understanding of the illness.

 

Dr Oliver Howes, the head of the psychiatric imaging group at the MRC Clinical Sciences Centre, said: "This is a real step forward in understanding.

 

"For the first time we have evidence that there is over-activity even before full onset of the illness.

 

"If we could reduce activity [before full-blown illness] then we might be able to prevent the illness - that needs to be tested, but is one key implication [of the research]."

 

The researchers analysed microglia, which weed out infection and unwanted connections between brain cells. Brain scans reveal that those patients suffering from the condition showed the highest level of microglia while high-risk group showed heightened activity levels.

 

"You can see how that would lead to patients making unusual connections between what is happening around them or mistaking thoughts as voices outside their head and causing the symptoms we see in the illness," Dr Howes added.

 

The head of psychiatry at the University of Edinburgh, Prof Stephen Lawrie, commented: "This is an important paper, which both confirms and extends previous findings, in a carefully controlled and state-of the-art study."