Latent Hashimoto encephalopathy in schizophrenic patients

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K07923
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 52030:Psychiatry-related
• Research Institution: Fukui Prefectural University
• Principal Investigator: Yoneda Makoto 福井県立大学, 看護福祉学部, 特命教授 (70270551)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 田中 雅嗣 順天堂大学, 大学院医学研究科, 客員教授 (60155166) ; 小坂 浩隆 福井大学, 学術研究院医学系部門, 教授 (70401966)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 橋本脳症 / 抗NAE抗体 / 統合失調症

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We examined the clinical features in 2,350 cases in which anti-NAE autoantibodies were analyzed in our laboratory from 2016 to 2021. We screened 32 cases of Hashimoto encephalopathy (HE) and detected 8 cases of positive for anti-NAE autoantibodies. In 9 cases, steroid were administrated and effective 3 out of 7 cases. We also analyzed anti-NAE antibodies in patients who were diagnosed as having schizophrenia, and detected 10 out of 20 cases for positive. These findings strongly sugge4sted the possibility of latent patients with HE in schizophrenia.

Free Research Field

神経免疫学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

統合失調症の一部に自己免疫が背景にありステロイドを含め免疫療法が効果のある橋本脳症が存在することは、根治療法の可能性があり、抗精神病薬に抵抗性の患者の治療にも寄与する。患者のQOLの向上や社会復帰にもつながり、患者・家族にとって大きな福音となる。