Infections play a determining role

With the aid of these large data sets, the researchers have been able to show certain correlations with great statistical certainty, but the study does not provide a definitive explanation for why schizophrenics have such an increased risk of contracting these diseases.

According to Michael E. Benrós, a lot seems to suggest that infections are a determining factor.

“It could be that people with schizophrenia er genetically vulnerable to infections, which increases the risk of getting schizophrenia but also autoimmune diseases,” he says and proceeds to explain that the human immune system can react to an infection by producing antibodies that do not merely react to the infection; the antibodies also start breaking down the body’s own tissue. This is how autoimmune diseases develop.

Another possible explanation could be that neuropsychiatric symptoms diagnosed as schizophrenia are the first signs that an autoimmune disease has developed but has not yet been detected.

Other explanations are related to lifestyle and genetics. But here the research does not bring any clear results.  In the study the researchers also examined whether family members of people with schizophrenia also have an increased risk of getting an autoimmune disease.

“If you have a family member with schizophrenia, there is a six per cent higher chance that you yourself will develop an autoimmune disease. The genetic factor does not look to be so significant, even though genetic studies have shown a correlation between genes and schizophrenia,” says Michael E. Benrós.

The next step is for the researchers from the National Centre for Register-Based Research - lead by Preben Bo Mortensen - to try and combine these registry data with biological data, such as blood samples, in order to further examine possible interactions between genes and environment.

By doing this they will hopefully get even closer to explaining the correlation between schizophrenia and autoimmune diseases.

Contact:

Michael Eriksen Benrós, PhD
The National Centre for Register-based Research, Aarhus University
School of Business and Social Sciences

Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Mobile: 2625 5239

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