Call for psychosis treatment overhaul after evidence of autoimmune trigger

Patients to be treated with medicines used for arthritis and lupus in relaunch of pioneering UK trialOne of the UK ’s leading psychiatrists is calling for an overhaul of the diagnosis and treatment of psychotic disorders following evidence that a small but significant fraction of cases could be triggered by an autoimmune response.Speaking before the relaunch of a groundbreaking trial in which psychosis patients are being treated with medicines normally reserved for autoimmune conditions such as arthritis and lupus, Prof Belinda Lennox, the head of psychiatry at the University of Oxford, said she hoped the work would pave the way for new, more targeted approaches to treating conditions such as schizophrenia. This could include some patients being given immunotherapies to treat psychotic symptoms.Continue reading...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: Mental health Psychiatry Society Medical research Science UK news Source Type: news