title: Schizophrenia and other psychiatric diseases: evidence for neurotissue hypersensitivity.
abstract: Psychiatric patients (208 with cerebral atrophy, 46 with dementia, 82 with depression and 481 with schizophrenia) with control subjects (56 normal individuals and patients with neurosis) were skin-tested with human S-100 brain protein, soluble fraction from the brain and liver protein. The local Arthus and delayed hypersensitivity reactions were read at 4-6 hr and at 24 hr respectively. The great majority of tested psychiatric patients developed positive Arthus and delayed skin reactions to S-100 protein and soluble brain protein fraction. A small number of control subjects responded to those antigens. The results obtained suggest that there is a correlation between local cutaneous sensitivity to neurotissue antigens and psychiatric diseases, and that both humoral and cell-mediated immunity are involved in the pathogenesis and development of cerebral atrophy, dementia, depression and schizophrenia.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D001183:Arthus Reaction; D001921:Brain / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000276:immunology*; D012882:Skin Tests
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009418:S100 Proteins