Researchers have identified a biomarker linked to schizophrenia that could lead to new treatments for symptoms of the mental disorder not addressed by current medicines, Reuters reported, citing data from the Health Rounds newsletter.
Analyzing cerebrospinal fluid samples from over 100 people with and without schizophrenia, scientists found that those with the disorder had significantly lower levels of a brain protein called CACNA2D1 compared to healthy individuals.
Low levels of CACNA2D1, they said, led to overstimulation of the brain’s electrical networks, which in turn contributed to cognitive impairment.
The researchers created a synthetic version of the protein and tested it in a mouse model. A single injection into the animals’ brains corrected the abnormal brain circuit activity and the behavioural problems linked to the disorder, without negative side effects.
According to the researchers, currently available antipsychotic drugs can help to control a patient’s hallucinations and delusions, but they do not improve cognitive deficits, which can often prevent individuals from living independently.
Since 2025, an updated version of clinical guidelines for the treatment of schizophrenia in children has been in effect in Russia. According to the document’s developers, the number of Russian minors diagnosed with the disorder has increased by 6.5% since 2000.
