Australia makes mental health breakthrough
Posted by eleanorreader on May 17, 2009
Scientists from the Mental Health Research Institute in Melbourne have linked a form of schizophrenia to a lack of a certain protein in the lining of the brain, this article reports. Until now, the only way to diagnose schizophrenia was through major symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, social withdrawal and deterioration in self-care.
“Now we can study a form of schizophrenia in isolation, it makes it much easier to see what is changed in the brains of subjects,” Professor Dean – the head of the 10 member research group - said. “This significant step forward is helping us unravel the potential causes so that we are able to develop better treatments.”
“With that level of diagnosis, it is quite likely there are a number of different diseases that come under the order of one disorder.”
The next phase of the research will involve working with a professor of neuropsychiatry at the University of Melbourne, Christos Pantelis, and his team using neuro-imaging to identify living people with this form of schizophrenia. Professor Dean acknowledged that they have a huge task ahead of them, but holds high hopes he and his team will find a marker to diagnose schizophrenia in the next two years.
