From: drarwingnuttephd@gmail.com   
      
   Some anti-inflammatory medicines shown to benefit schizophrenia treatment   
      
   Last updated: 21 October 2014 at 2am PST   
   Schizophrenia   
   Mental Health   
      
      
   A new study shows that some anti-inflammatory medicines, such as aspirin,   
   estrogen, and Fluimucil, can improve the efficacy of existing schizophrenia   
   treatments. This work is being presented at the European College of   
   Neuropsychopharmacology conference    
   in Berlin.   
      
   For some time, doctors have believed that helping the immune system may   
   benefit the treatment of schizophrenia, but until now there has been no   
   conclusive evidence that this would be effective. Now a group of researchers   
   at the University of Utrecht in    
   the Netherlands has carried out a comprehensive meta-analysis of all robust   
   studies on the effects of adding anti-inflammatories to antipsychotic   
   medication. This has allowed them to conclude that anti-inflammatory   
   medicines, such as aspirin, can add to    
   the effective treatment of schizophrenia.   
      
   Research has shown that the immune system is linked to certain psychiatric   
   disorders, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Schizophrenia in   
   particular is linked to the HLA gene system, which is found on chromosome 6 in   
   humans. The HLA system    
   controls many of the characteristics of the immune system.   
      
   According to lead researcher, Professor Iris Sommer (Psychiatry Department,   
   University Medical Centre, Utrecht, Netherlands):   
      
   "The picture on anti-inflammatory agents in schizophrenia has been mixed, but   
   this analysis pulls together the data from 26 double-blind randomised   
   controlled trials, and provides significant evidence that some (but not all)   
   anti-inflammatory agents can    
   improve symptoms of patients with schizophrenia. In particular, aspirin,   
   estrogens (in women) and the common antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (fluimicil)   
   show promising results. Other anti-inflammatory agents, including celecoxib,   
   minocycline, davunetide,    
   and fatty acids showed no significant effect".   
      
   In spite the fact that schizophrenia affects around 24 million people   
   worldwide1, treatment has not changed much in over 50 years, and largely   
   relies on correcting the regulation of dopamine in the brain of schizophrenia   
   sufferers. This has been shown to    
   help symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions, but has been unable to   
   help many other symptoms such as decreased energy, lack of motivation and poor   
   concentration. In addition, around 20 to 30% of all patients don't respond to   
   antipsychotic    
   treatment. Co-treatment with anti-inflammatory agents holds the possibility of   
   improving patient's response to treatment.   
      
   Professor Sommer continued:   
      
   "The study makes us realise that we need to be selective about which   
   anti-inflammatory we use. Now that we know that some effects are replicated,   
   we need to refine our methods to see if we can turn it into a real treatment.   
   We have just started a    
   multicenter trial using simvastatine to reduce inflammation in the brain of   
   patients with schizophrenia. Studies like these will provide the   
   proof-of-concept for targeting the immune system in schizophrenia".   
      
   Commenting for the ECNP, Professor Celso Arango (Hospital General   
   Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid) said:   
      
   "Inflammation and oxidative stress seem to be important factors in different   
   mental disorders. Patients with different mental conditions, including   
   schizophrenia, have been shown to have reduced antioxidants in the brain as   
   well as excess inflammatory    
   markers. Animal models and clinical trials have shown that antioxidants and   
   anti-inflammatory drugs could not only reduce symptoms associated with the   
   disorders but also prevent the appearance of neurobiological abnormalities and   
   transition to psychosis    
   if given early during brain development. This work is a step towards the   
   possibility of better treatment, but we need more research in this area,   
   especially with younger subjects where we might expect more brain plasticity".   
      
      
      
   http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/284128.php?tw   
      
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