This book provides a comprehensive summary of the cutting edge scientific evidence regarding the role of immune system in the pathogenesis and treatment of schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders. It illustrates the role of inflammation and immunity in schizophrenia drawing on both basic science and clinical research. The chapters provide up-to-date summaries of immunological risk factors for schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders, and underlying mechanisms as informed by neuroimaging, genetic, clinical and animal experimental studies. In addition, the book will illuminate the scope for immunological treatment for schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia, which starts in middle age or late life, has been described as 'the darkest area of psychiatry.' It is certainly controversial, with much disagreement about cut-off ages, diagnostic criteria and nomenclature. The contributors to this unique and very important book represent views from Europe and North America as well as Australia, Japan, and Nepal; they come from backgrounds of clinical practice and research. The contributors and editors were motivated by common aims: to review current international knowledge about late onset schizophrenia, to debate issues of heterogenity, gender, brain maturation and aging, putative structural and functional cerebral substrates for psychosis, to reach consensus on diagnosis and terminology, and to future research directions. The resulting book is an unqualified success which as well as being invaluable in old age psychiatry, sheds light on all aspects of schizophrenia treatment and research.
What is schizophrenia? This is one of the most controversial questions in psychiatry and mental health research; however, in the last twenty years, there have been significant advances in our understanding of the topic. This book provides a balanced, comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the neuropathology of schizophrenia and its interpretation, covering the latest evidence derived from all fields of research, from brain scans to microscopy. The authors include many of the foremost international authorities in this rapidly developing field.
This book presents a thorough and critical review of current knowledge on the role of immunology in major psychiatric disorders and its potential applications. The opening chapters offer general information on the immune influence of the brain to provide readers with a better understanding of the end of immune privilege. The book then examines possible underlying mechanisms leading to psychiatric disorders, from early infections to pro-inflammatory markers, stress, and immune genetic background, linking etiology and psychiatry. The third section describes each disorder (ie autism, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression...) with an overview of underlying immune dysfunctions. Lastly, the authors discuss the innovative immune-therapies that may result from the discovery of immune system biomarkers and their associated mechanisms. A better understanding of the role of the immune system in psychiatric disorders makes it possible to identify stratification biomarkers, to explain underlying mechanisms, and to develop innovative, efficient, targeted treatment strategies and management. As such, the book is of value to clinicians, mental health professionals, mental health researchers, immunologists, industry practitioners, and various stakeholders in the mental health field.
**Selected for Doody's Core Titles® 2024 in Clinical Genetics** Psychiatric Genomics presents and synthesizes available knowledge in the field of psychiatric genomics, offering methodologies to advance new research and aid clinical translation. After providing an introduction to genomics and psychiatry, international experts discuss the genomic basis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, personality disorders, anxiety disorders, addictions, eating disorders, and sleep disorders, among other disorders. In addition, recommendations for next steps in clinical implementation and drug discovery are discussed in-depth, with chapters dedicated to pharmacogenomics and antipsychotics, antidepressants and mood stabilizers, adverse drug reactions, implementation of pharmacogenomics in psychiatric clinics, and ethical issues. Finally, methods sections provide a solid grounding in research approaches and computational analytics, from using animal models in psychiatric genomics and accessing biobanks, to employing computational analysis, genome-wide association studies (GWAS), brain pathophysiology, and endophenotypes in psychiatric research. - Thoroughly examines the genetic mechanisms underlying a broad range of psychiatric disorders - Offers genomic methodologies and analytical approaches supporting new research and clinical translation, including personalized diagnosis and treatment models - Features chapter contributions from international leaders in the field
In addition, fundamental questions concerning the bi-directional interactions between the central nervous system and the immune system are discussed and the role of viruses and infectious processes closely examined. As such, this book offers a unique presentation of the state of the art in psychoimmunology and, at the same time, shows many important challenges for future research into the field of intersystemic interactions and their impact on the etiology and pathogenesis of psychiatric diseases.
As seen on "CBS This Morning" Worldwide, depression will be the single biggest cause of disability in the next twenty years. But treatment for it has not changed much in the last three decades. In the world of psychiatry, time has apparently stood still...until now with Edward Bullmore's The Inflamed Mind: A Radical New Approach to Depression. A Sunday Times (London) Top Ten Bestseller In this game-changing book, University of Cambridge professor of psychiatry Edward Bullmore reveals the breakthrough new science on the link between depression and inflammation of the body and brain. He explains how and why we now know that mental disorders can have their root cause in the immune system, and outlines a future revolution in which treatments could be specifically targeted to break the vicious cycles of stress, inflammation, and depression. The Inflamed Mind goes far beyond the clinic and the lab, representing a whole new way of looking at how mind, brain, and body all work together in a sometimes misguided effort to help us survive in a hostile world. It offers insights into how we could start getting to grips with depression and other mental disorders much more effectively in the future.
The Neurobiology of Schizophrenia begins with an overview of the various facets and levels of schizophrenia pathophysiology, ranging systematically from its genetic basis over changes in neurochemistry and electrophysiology to a systemic neural circuits level. When possible, the editors point out connections between the various systems. The editors also depict methods and research strategies used in the respective field. The individual backgrounds of the two editors promote a synthesis between basic neuroscience and clinical relevance. - Provides a comprehensive overview of neurobiological aspects of schizophrenia - Discusses schizophrenia at behavioral, cognitive, clinical, electrophysiological, molecular, and genetic levels - Edited by a translational researcher and a psychiatrist to promote synthesis between basic neuroscience and clinical relevance - Elucidates connections between the various systems depicted, when possible
This volume provides an introduction to the essential techniques required for studying the molecular biology of brain disease. The approaches and strategies for investigations of gene structure and regulation are described with reference to the molecular genetics of prion and Alzheimer's disease. The effects of aberrant gene regulation can also be examined at the protein level by immunocytochemistry and autoradiography. Improved understanding of basic biology has resulted in new approaches to animal models using transgenic techniques and new therapeutic approaches. The volume is structured to illustrate all these approaches and demonstrate the practice and promise of molecular neuropathology.
Perinatal psychiatry is an emerging field that investigates the role of perinatal events – for example pregnancy complications and infections – in the development of neuropsychiatric conditions, such as schizophrenia and mood disorders. Among the implicated pathological mechanisms, perinatal-induced inflammation seems to play a major role and is being considered as a potential target for therapeutic intervention. Bringing together various approaches in the field (preclinical and clinical, epidemiological, immunological and genetic methods), the book discusses the available evidence, the putative mechanisms and the challenges ahead.
