Increasing evidence suggest that inflammation and the immune system have significant impact on the risk of schizophrenia and other psychiatric conditions. According to the Telegraph, studies show the correlation between an overactive immune system and schizophrenic patients as well as those who are at high risk for schizophrenia. By calming the brain's immune system, schizophrenia may possibly be prevented.
The BBC reports that treatment, and even prevention, of the disease is the aim of the UK Medical Research Council team through testing anti-inflammatory drugs. Other field experts recognise the significance of this study in furthering understanding of schizophrenia.
A chemical dye that sticks to the microglia is injected into 56 participants to allow visibility and recording of microglia activity. The microglia weeds out infection from the brain and deals with unwanted connections between brain cells. Activity is recorded to be highest in patients who have schizophrenia. Those who are categorised to be at high risk of developing the illness are a close second.
For Dr Oliver Howes, who heads the psychiatric imaging group at the MRC Clinical Sciences Centre, this is a progressive move toward understanding this disorder. A key implication, albeit still needing to be tested, is that reducing the activity before the onset of full-blown sickness may lead to prevention. He believes that the microglia may behave like a gardener that becomes too excited with the shears so that the wrong connections may be pruned and the brain becomes incorrectly wired.
"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."
Although pocket tests suggest the benefit of anti-inflammatory drugs alongside traditional treatment to help patients, further studies must still be conduction. Foremost is the test of anti-inflammatory drugs that only target the microglia against the more general medication, such as Ibuprofen. Certainly, Howed advises consultation with a doctor on all medical decisions as opposed to self-prescription.
The cause of overactivity for some people of the microglia is unclear. DNA analysis on patients suggest genes that control the immune system and a predisposition to immune system sensitivity. High stress levels later on in life are also implicated.
