Is Schizophrenia a Neuroinflammatory Disorder?

Ten percent of acutely ill schizophrenia patients have antibodies against NMDA glutamate receptors, compared with 3% of depression patients and no patients with borderline personality disorder.

Genetic association and peripheral blood immune studies have suggested that neuroinflammation plays a pathophysiologic role in schizophrenia; a link between inflammation and a key neurotransmitter is seen in cases of psychosis associated with encephalitis caused by antibodies against N-methyl-d-aspartate glutamate receptors (NMDA-R). These researchers examined immunoglobulin (Ig) A, IgG, and IgM antibodies against two subunits of the NMDA-R and two subunits of the AMPA receptor in unmedicated, acutely ill patients with schizophrenia (n=121), major depression (n=70), and borderline personality disorder (n=38) and in 230 controls. Several of the researchers are employed by an immunology diagnostics company.

Various antibodies (IgG, IgA, and Ig…

Reviewing Author

Peter Roy-Byrne, MD

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Peter Roy-Byrne, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsUpToDate