SCHRES-04003; No of Pages 8
NOVEL IMMUNE RESPONSE TO GLUTEN IN INDIVIDUALS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA
Diana Samaroo,Faith Dickerson,Donald D. Kasarda,Peter H.R. Green,Chiara Briani
Read the article:
Schizophrenia And Celiac Disease Research
And I thought my middle name was Cybil just because it was cute.
Seriously, if I understood this recent article correctly, a gluten-free diet may help some with schizophrenia, but it is not necessarily related to celiac disease.
Here are some interesting quotes from the article:
"Our results reveal an immunologic response to gluten in individuals with schizophrenia that is clearly different from that in celiac disease."
"Increased levels of anti-gliadin antibodies in schizophrenia point to a mechanism involving the disruption of intestinal permeability and immunologic abnormalities in some indivi-
duals with schizophrenia. However, the mechanism of the observed antibody reactivity to gluten in schizophrenia appears to be fundamentally different from celiac disease. As such, the
heightened immune response to gluten deserves further attention and research in determining its importance and relevance to the pathogenesis of schizophrenia, independent of concomitant celiac disease. Further detailed characterization of the antibody response to gluten and other dietary proteins of concern, including casein, is likely to enhance our understanding of the significance of the immune system and its response to foreign antigens in schizophrenia and other neuropsychiatric abnormalities. The elucidation of this relationship may lead to new methods for the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of schizophrenia and related disorders."
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), which is part of the National Institute of Health (NIH) has more information about schizophrenia ranging from symptoms, treatment, and coping. Schizophrenia affects about 1.1% of the population.
