In a recent study, scientists in Japan found a connection between schizophrenia, a brain disorder that affects how people think and behave, and certain proteins produced by the immune system called autoantibodies.
These autoantibodies can sometimes attack the body itself.
The researchers discovered that in some individuals with schizophrenia, these autoantibodies attack a specific protein called neurexin 1, which is involved in connections between different brain cells.
Why it's important?
To understand why this is important, you need to know that neurexin 1 is like a bridge that helps brain cells communicate by creating connections called synapses. Both synapses and problems with the immune system are connected with schizophrenia.
So, the scientists wanted to see if these autoantibodies could cause any serious changes related to schizophrenia.
They took these autoantibodies from some people with schizophrenia and injected them into mice.
This allowed the autoantibodies to enter the mouse's brain. In the lab mice, the autoantibodies messed up the connections between brain cells and also caused changes similar to those seen in schizophrenia.
The lab mice had fewer synapses, showed strange behaviors like being less social, and had trouble with their thinking.
The discovery results
This discovery suggests that these autoantibodies might be a target for treatment in some individuals with schizophrenia who don't respond well to current treatments.
Schizophrenia varies a lot among people, so finding new ways to help those who struggle with it is essential.
