Immunity and brain conditions 'potentially linked'RSS Feed

There is a potential link between immunity and the brain injury that is present in conditions such as schizophrenia, autism and infectious disease, research has found.

A study, published in journal Nature Neuroscience, found that the number of connections between nerve cells in the brain can be regulated by a molecule which is part of the immune system.

According to researchers, schizophrenia, autism and other conditions are linked to changes in the connectivity in the brain.

Professor Kimberley McAllister of UC Davis, where the research was carried out, said: "Certain immune genes and immune dysregulation have also been associated with autism and schizophrenia, and the immune molecules that we study in brain development could be a pathway that contributes to that altered connectivity."

Meanwhile, research published in journal Brain has come up with a new brain imaging test which could provide a window into the consciousness of patients with severe brain injury.
 
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Posted by Matthew Heap

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