Increased antibodies for the alpha7 subunit of the nicotinic receptor in schizophrenia.

One of the etiological theories of schizophrenia is dysregulation of the immune system. Autoantibodies specific for the alpha7 subunit of the nicotinic receptor could potentially contribute to the pathophysiology of the disease. In this study, positive antibodies specific for the receptor were found to exist in 23% of the patients diagnosed with schizophrenia (n=21). On the average, levels for the antibody were elevated in the schizophrenia patient population than in controls. The data also suggests that there is a significant correlation between antibody titer and age, lending support to the neurodegenerative nature of the disease.