Immune processes and risk of psychosis

Adam Al-Diwani, Thomas A. Pollak

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

Abstract

There is an ongoing and dramatic growth in understanding of the ways in which the central nervous system and immune systems interact. From developments in glial biology through to fundamental discoveries such as brain lymphatic drainage and glymphatic circulation, the notion of brain immune privilege is undergoing considerable refinement. This basic science is emerging alongside novel clinical fields with potential relevance to psychiatry including antibody-mediated encephalopathies, maternal immune activation, and maternofetal antibody transfer models of neurodevelopmental disorders. Furthermore, robust findings of immune loci in genome-wide association studies are beginning to be contextualized in functional studies. Here, we review immunological and inflammatory findings associated with the development and maintenance of psychotic disorders, from classical epidemiological findings on psychotic risk relating to winter birth and maternal infection to biomarker studies of inflammatory mediators and recent immunogenetic developments. We consider the current diagnostic and therapeutic implications and potential future approaches of translational significance.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationRisk Factors for Psychosis
Subtitle of host publicationParadigms, Mechanisms, and Prevention
PublisherElsevier
Pages211-227
Number of pages17
ISBN (Electronic)9780128132012
ISBN (Print)9780128132029
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2020

Keywords

  • Autoimmune encephalitis
  • Immune privilege
  • Immunogenetics
  • Immunopsychiatry
  • Infection
  • Neuroimmunology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Immune processes and risk of psychosis'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this