The Role of Prenatal and Childhood Infection and Inflammation in Schizophrenia

doi:10.1017/9781108539623.005

Chapter 4 - The Role of Prenatal and Childhood Infection and Inflammation in Schizophrenia

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 September 2021

Carly Apar ,

Fiona Conway ,

Genevieve Falabella and

Edited by

Edward Bullmore and

Golam Khandaker: Affiliation:
University of Cambridge
Neil Harrison: Affiliation:
Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC)
Edward Bullmore: Affiliation:
University of Cambridge
Robert Dantzer: Affiliation:
University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center

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Summary

Schizophrenia is a neurodevelopmental disorder with both genetic and environmental determinants (1). Among potential environmental factors, intriguing new findings point to immune and infectious exposures. The plausibility for the relation of these exposures in the aetiology of schizophrenia is supported by the fact that this exposure alters prenatal and neonatal neurological development (1). In an effort to better understand these potential causes of schizophrenia, this chapter will review the literature on prenatal immune and infectious factors in relation to schizophrenia as well as discuss implications of these studies for the future of prevention and treatment. We review research findings accumulated over the past two decades, which have pointed to prenatal infection as a risk factor for schizophrenia, discuss potential causal mechanisms, and discuss the implications of this work for prevention and a better understanding of the pathogenesis of this disorder. We also review the current literature regarding childhood infection and schizophrenia.

Type: Chapter
Information: Textbook of Immunopsychiatry , pp. 73 - 82

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108539623.005 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2021

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