Conference paper
IMMUNOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SCHIZOPHRENIA
Gordana Rubesa
; Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Centre Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia; School of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
Lea Gudelj
; Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Centre Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
Dolores Makovac
; School of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
Abstract
There are many theories about the etiology of schizophrenia. This paper presents the assumptions and latest findings about many immunological characteristics of schizophrenia. According to the neuroimunological theory, this disorder is due to neuroimunological disbalance, increased microglial activity and increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines. Studies have found that intrauterine infections in pregnant women have an effect on the fetal brain development, and that infections with rubella, measles, herpes virus, and toxoplasma are associeted with schizophrenia onset in adult life. In the first episode of schizophrenia and during exacerbation in the serum of the patient, an increased level of proinflammatory cytokines was found. Increased levels of IL-6, TNF- and IL-1, and decreased levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines, Il-10. Interleukin 6 levels increase in the psychotic phase of the disease and normalize after the antipsychotic drug treatment. Increased level of IL-6 is associated with severe cognitive impairment and it is more common with patients who had been without adequate treatment for a long time and patients with therapeutic-resistant schizophrenia. Treatment of schizophrenia could be improved by the introduction of anti-inflammatory drug in the therapy.
Keywords
schizophrenia; etiology; immunology; cytokines; intrauterine infections; autoimmune diseases; antipsychotics; anti-inflammatory drugs
Hrčak ID:
262891
URI
Publication date:
22.7.2018.
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