Autoimmune Disorders And Schizophrenia

[CarlaB]

This article was sent to my local celiac group in response to the chatter they are having about House.

American Journal of Psychiatry 163:521-528, March 2006

doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.163.3.521

© 2006 American Psychiatric Association

Association of Schizophrenia and Autoimmune Diseases: Linkage of Danish National Registers

William W. Eaton, Ph.D., Majella Byrne, Ph.D., Henrik Ewald, Dr.Med.Sc., Ole Mors, Ph.D., Chuan-Yu Chen, Ph.D., Esben Agerbo, M.S. and Preben Bo Mortensen, M.D., Dr.Med.Sc.

OBJECTIVE: Individuals with schizophrenia and their relatives tend to have either higher or lower than expected prevalences of autoimmune disorders, especially rheumatoid arthritis, celiac disease, autoimmune thyroid diseases, and type 1 diabetes. The purpose of the study was to estimate the association of schizophrenia with these disorders as well as a range of other autoimmune diseases in a single large epidemiologic study.

METHOD: The Danish Psychiatric Register, the National Patient Register, and a register with socioeconomic information were linked to form a data file that included all 7,704 persons in Denmark diagnosed with schizophrenia from 1981 to 1998 and their parents along with a sample of matched comparison subjects and their parents. The data linkage required that the autoimmune disease occur before the diagnosis of schizophrenia.

RESULTS: A history of any autoimmune disease was associated with a 45% increase in risk for schizophrenia. Nine autoimmune disorders had higher prevalence rates among patients with schizophrenia than among comparison subjects (crude incidence rate ratios ranging from 1.9 to 12.5), and 12 autoimmune diseases had higher prevalence rates among parents of schizophrenia patients than among parents of comparison subjects (adjusted incidence rate ratios ranging from 1.3 to 3.8). Thyrotoxicosis, celiac disease, acquired hemolytic anemia, interstitial cystitis, and Sjögren’s syndrome had higher prevalence rates among patients with schizophrenia than among comparison subjects and also among family members of schizophrenia patients than among family members of comparison subjects.

CONCLUSIONS: Schizophrenia is associated with a larger range of autoimmune diseases than heretofore suspected. Future research on comorbidity has the potential to advance understanding of pathogenesis of both psychiatric and autoimmune disorders.

[SurreyGirl]

Hi Carla

On a very similar subject, I have just read this book, really, really good reference, although not just about schizophrenia. In fact I am thinking to maybe consult this doctor because a lot of what she writes is relevant to my son.

Open Original Shared Link

The article pdf below the credits is a very short outline of what it's all about. This goes far beyond celiac and builds on Elaine Gottschall's achievements.

[nikki-uk]

[quote name='CarlaB' date='May 12 2006, 12:26 PM' post='138571

CONCLUSIONS: Schizophrenia is associated with a larger range of autoimmune diseases than heretofore suspected. Future research on comorbidity has the potential to advance understanding of pathogenesis of both psychiatric and autoimmune disorders.

[prinsessa]

This is very interesting. I keep telling my mom about the connection between schizophrenia and Celiac. I wonder if he could be gluten intolerant since I am and it runs in the family. I was hoping that going gluten free might help with his schizophrenia. Thanks for posting this.