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4w ago

Immune System Proteins Linked to Mental Health Disorders in Groundbreaking Study

University of Bristol researchers identify 29 immune proteins with potential causal roles in neuropsychiatric conditions, challenging traditional brain-only models.

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The researchers found a potential causal role of 29 immune response related proteins in these 7 neuropsychiatric conditions. Credit: Neuroscience News

Overview

  • A study using Mendelian randomisation linked 29 immune-related proteins to seven mental health conditions, including schizophrenia, depression, and Alzheimer’s disease.
  • Of the 29 proteins identified, 20 are already targeted by existing drugs, opening pathways for repurposing treatments for psychiatric disorders.
  • The findings suggest that mental health conditions are influenced by systemic immune activity, reshaping the understanding of these disorders as whole-body rather than brain-only issues.
  • Schizophrenia showed the strongest immune involvement, with evidence for both distinct and overlapping protein links across multiple conditions.
  • Researchers plan follow-up studies, including clinical trials and mechanistic research, to confirm causality and explore immune-modulating therapies.