Antithymic Immune Factor in Schizophrenia

Abstract

Six WHO Collaborating Centre took part in the study of the antithymic activity of blood sera of patients suffering from schizophrenia. Blood serum specimens from 118 schizophrenic patients and 62 mentally healthy donors were investigated. Statistically significant differences between schizophrenic patients and the controls were found (p < 0.05). It is probable that as with other biological phenomena described in schizophrenia, antithymic activity is one of the biological factors, in combination with other factors, predisposing towards the development of the schizophrenic process.

Failure to detect dopamine receptor IgG autoantibodies in sera of schizophrenic patients

“…Already in 1939 Lehmann-Facius described anti-brain antibodies in sera and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of psychotic (obviously schizophrenic) patients. Several other groups found antibodies against brain tissue and thymus in schizophrenic patients (Heath and Krupp, 1967;Baron et al, 1977;Koliaskina et al, 1980;Pandey et al, 1981;Watanabe et al, 1982;de Lisi et al, 1985). Genetic studies as well as the finding of a disturbed blood brain barrier in schizophrenia (Torrey et al, 1985;Kornhuber and Bauer, 1986) are compatible with the autoimmune hypothesis.…”

Assessment of possible immunotoxicity of the antipsychotic drug clozapine

“…These results were also noticed in some cases of patients having CLZ for the treatment of Schizophrenia. [31][32][33] White pulp atrophy, decrease in the spleen cellularity and spleen relative weight decrease observed in this study are common findings following the administration of certain immunosuppressive drugs and are accompanied by the decreased ability of the animal immune system to produce antibody. [34] The observed inhibitory effect of CLZ on the induction of DTH to SRBC is also consistent with other studies that report similar effects.…”

Biological Studies of Schizophrenia in Europe

“…This fact was confirmed in a detailed study of antithymic immune factor in schizophrenia, as a part of the World Health Organization Collaborative Program. Seven international research centers in biological psychiatry, including six centers in the European region, took part (Kolyaskina et al 1980).…”