Study suggests, psychosis linked to immune disorder

A new research has suggested that some sufferers of psychotic illnesses like schizophrenia may have a treatable immune disorder.

In a study carried out by scientists at the University of Oxford, it found out that, up to one in 11 cases of psychosis may involve a condition where antibodies attack the brain.

The research team suggested that all patients displaying signs of psychosis for the first time should be screened for the antibodies to see if alternative treatments may be possible.

The research was led by Professor Belinda Lennox, a clinical psychiatrist at the University of Oxford, who told the BBC: 

"The implications of this are that there are patients in mental health services now who will have these antibodies and could potentially be treated in a very different way.

"I think this is a really exciting advance for psychiatry as a whole, and every psychiatrist and patient with psychosis needs to be aware of this and to look for it and treat it assertively when we find it."

According to results obtained, analysis of blood samples from 228 people found out that 9 per cent had antibodies that might be relevant to their illness.

And however some are doubtful that there are large numbers of patients in institutions who have been misdiagnosed.
According Josep Dalmau, from the University of Barcelona, who spoke with the BBC:

"The large majority of patients develop other symptoms, for example seizures or abnormal movements.

"These usually bring the diagnosis to the doctors, so I think (considering) the number of patients you may have in a psychiatric institution with well-established psychotic disorder for several months or years, the likelihood they have these antibodies is extremely low."

The study, was published in The Lancet.

Ryan WilkinsonPress Association