Elucidation of pathogenicity and brain dysfunction of anti-neuronal antibody in Hashimoto's encephalopathy similar to mental illness

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K16391
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Psychiatric science
• Research Institution: Yokohama City University
• Principal Investigator: SAITO Tomoyuki 横浜市立大学, 医学研究科, 客員研究員 (30648407)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 抗神経抗体 / 抗グルタミン酸受容体抗体 / 精神疾患 / 橋本脳症

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The present study aims to examine antibodies to GluN1-NT and GluN2B-NT2 in psychiatric patients with anti-thyroid antibodies (PPATs) and in those without (non-PPATs). Eighteen PPATs and nine non-PPATs were ultimately enrolled in the present study. We investigated serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) antibodies to GluN1-NT and GluN2B-NT2 using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We also collected stored sera of eighteen healthy controls (HCs). The optical densities (ODs) of serum antibodies to GluN1-NT and GluN2B-NT2 were significantly higher in PPATs than in HCs. The ODs of CSF antibodies to GluN1-NT and GluN2B-NT2 were significantly higher in PPATs than in non-PPATs. Our finding indicates that detecting anti-thyroid antibodies in psychiatric patients would be a clue to consider the presense of anti-neuronal antibodies.

Free Research Field

精神医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

橋本脳症は抗甲状腺抗体を有する者に発生する脳炎である。精神症状主体の橋本脳症は、精神疾患と類似し、鑑別が困難である。本研究は精神疾患患者において、抗甲状腺抗体と抗神経抗体のうち抗GluN1-NT抗体および抗GluN2B-NT2抗体の関連性を示唆した。これは、精神症状主体の橋本脳症の疾患メカニズムの解明に寄与する重大な発見と考えられる。また、抗甲状腺抗体の有無が、抗神経抗体由来の精神症状を鑑別する糸口になる可能性を示唆しており、臨床上も極めて有用な発見と考えられる。