Immuno Psychiatry

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.

In recent years, a dedicated effort has been made to understand the immune dysfunction that is associated with major psychiatric disorders. The expanding knowledge of the immune system as a major homeostatic system has been very helpful in indicating new potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets to reduce the burden of psychiatric disorders. Indeed, immune cells, their secreted molecules, and cell signalling events are highly promising. Yet, the literature on immunology of psychiatric disorders is still dispersed, and only a few attempts have been made to consolidate the current knowledge in this expanding area. This book assembles and presents the available data on the immune/inflammatory dysfunction in psychiatric disorders, indicating the potential of immune mechanisms as either biomarkers or therapeutic targets, as well as discussing the challenges ahead of incorporating this knowledge into clinical practice. An international team of senior experts in the field review all psychiatric disorders in order to provide an integrated, in-depth understanding of the role of immune changes in psychiatric diseases for mental health clinicians as well as for researchers in immunology, psychiatry, neurology, and pharmacology.

The rapidly growing field of immunopsychiatry combines expertise and insights from immunology, psychiatry and neuroscience to understand the role of inflammation and other immune processes in causing and treating mental illness. This represents a major shift in mental health science, traditionally focused on psychological and neuronal mechanisms of depression, psychosis and dementia. This book provides the first comprehensive overview of recent, inter-disciplinary research linking disordered function of the immune system to the brain and mental illness. It offers a broad and deep perspective on the implications of immune system involvement in psychiatric disorders, including a balanced focus on basic science and clinical applications. Chapters cover the scientific evidence linking immune processes to major mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, depression, anxiety and dementia. An invaluable guide for graduate students, doctors in training, scientific researchers and others interested in the link between the immune system and mental health.

An essential book summarizing cutting-edge evidence on the role of the immune system and immunotherapies in psychiatric disorders.

Psychiatric disorders are one of the most dramatic burdens for humankind. The role of immune dysfunction in the pathophysiology of these disorders has emerged during the last years, because there has been tremendous progress in psychoneuroimmunological research. Many results are presented here by pioneers in the field. The book addresses various effects of the immune system on the pathophysiology and course of psychiatric disorders and highlights the possible future impact on treatment decisions of various psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia and depression. The contributions cover the role of in utero immune challenges on the development of schizophrenia, the role of infections, and autoimmune diseases and mild immune activation in the development of depression and schizophrenia, the influence of immune responses in other disorders such as Tourette's, Alzheimer's, and OCD, the connections between mental and physical pain as well as between anti-inflammatory and antipsychotic drugs.​

The Immune System and Mental Health fully investigates how immune-related cellular, molecular and anatomical changes impact mental functioning. The book combines human and animal studies to reveal immunological changes related to mental-health problems. In addition, users will find comprehensive information on new research related to the microbial composition of the gut, aka, the microbiome, and how it influences brain function and mental health. Common comorbidities with mental illness and their inherent immunological or inflammatory components are also covered. Written by leaders in the field, the book synthesizes basic and clinical research to provide a thorough understanding on the role of immunity in neuropsychiatry. Sociology, psychology, psychiatry, neuroscience and genetics have provided considerable explanations and solutions to some of the most intractable mental-health problems. But researchers are increasingly relying on investigations of the immune system to identify factors that can undermine and impair mental health. This book covers devastating mental-health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and autism-like spectrum disorders. In addition, degenerative disorders of the brain, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s-like dementia are explored. Considers both basic human and animal studies that address immunological changes relating to mental health problems across the lifespan Incorporates techniques, concepts and ideas from a variety of social, behavioral and life sciences Explores the relatively new area of the microbiome and how the microbial composition of the gut influences brain function and mental health

The rapidly growing field of immunopsychiatry combines expertise and insights from immunology, psychiatry and neuroscience to understand the role of inflammation and other immune processes in causing and treating mental illness. This represents a major shift in mental health science, traditionally focused on psychological and neuronal mechanisms of depression, psychosis and dementia. This book provides the first comprehensive overview of recent, inter-disciplinary research linking disordered function of the immune system to the brain and mental illness. It offers a broad and deep perspective on the implications of immune system involvement in psychiatric disorders, including a balanced focus on basic science and clinical applications. Chapters cover the scientific evidence linking immune processes to major mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, depression, anxiety and dementia. An invaluable guide for graduate students, doctors in training, scientific researchers and others interested in the link between the immune system and mental health.

Growing evidence derived from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), neuropathological, imaging, genetic, and epidemiological studies link neuroinflammation and immune dysregulation to a subset of individuals with a variety of severe mental disorders (SMDs), including affective and non-affective psychotic disorders. Further, the recent discoveries of neuronal surface antibodies (NSAs) in autoimmune encephalitis (AE) presenting with diverse neuropsychiatric disorders such as psychosis and cognitive decline, among many others, provides further support to the notion that CNS autoimmunity and neuroinflammation can contribute to the neurobiology of psychiatric disturbances. Further, these immune mechanisms may contribute to a subset of patients currently diagnosed as having treatment-resistant SMDs such as schizophrenia and major depressive disorder. Additionally, mounting data indicate that various infections can serve as an immunological trigger of aberrant immune responses, presumably by causing release of excess neural antigen, thereby giving rise to NSAs or aberrant immune cellular responses to give rise to primary or secondary psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and those associated with AE, respectively. Collectively, these findings support the “mild encephalitis” hypothesis of SMD. The significant overlap among AE-associated psychosis, systemic autoimmune disorder-associated psychosis, and psychotic disorders associated with pathological processes involving inflammation and immune dysregulation has also prompted some authors to adopt the term “autoimmune psychosis” (AP). This term reflects that this psychosis subtype is mechanistically linked to complex neuroimmune and inflammatory signalling abnormalities that can be responsive to early immunomodulatory treatment. It also suggests that a subset of AP might represent an incomplete or “forme fruste” subtype of AE presenting with dominant or pure psychiatric symptoms mimicking primary psychiatric illnesses. Because data indicate that delayed diagnosis and treatment may lead to permanent sequelae, early recognition of AP utilizing neurodiagnostic workup (e.g., CSF analysis, neuroimaging, and EEG) and its early treatment with appropriate immunotherapy are paramount to a meaningful recovery. This eBook will provide an overview of the current knowledge and research areas from epidemiology, risk factors and diagnosis to the management of these conditions, in this rapidly emerging field, helping to bridge the gaps in knowledge that currently exist in the disciplines of Psychiatry, Neurology, and Neuroimmunology.