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.