mitchm at casbah.acns.nwu.edu (Mitchell Maltenfort) writes:
> I was recently watching a PBS "Frontline" on schizophrenia, and was
>struck by an idea when it was mentioned that schizophrenics have certain
>white blood cell abnormalities. Is it possible that schizophrenia is an
>autoimmune disease?
> There is some precedent for this: myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune
>disease in which the immune system targets the neurotransmitters that activate
>muscle. Might schizophrenia be the result of the immune system interfering
>with the brain functions? ....
Several investigators have hypothesized that it's a result of viral
infections and cite birth seasonality (more born in the winter than in any
other season). Certainly any autoimmuine reaction affecting dopamine
receptor regulation would be a candidate.
William H. Calvin WCalvin at U.Washington.edu
