Dr Weickert and colleagues published a paper that identified immune cells in greater amounts in the brains of some people with schizophrenia in Molecular Psychiatry – a top journal in Psychiatry. Cai HQ, Catts VS, Webster MJ, Galletly C, Liu D, O’Donnell M, Weickert TW, Weickert CS. Increased macrophages and changed brain endothelial cell gene expression in the frontal cortex of people with schizophrenia displaying inflammation. Molecular Psychiatry 2018 Sept 13 [Epub ahead of print]

This study has challenged long held assumptions and has the potential to transform schizophrenia research.  Previous research has focused on neurons, glia and endothelial cells.  This study showed elevated levels of macrophages in the brain tissue of people with schizophrenia who show high levels of inflammation.