In a series of lab and human studies, British researchers have discovered that individuals suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) have increased levels of a protein called Immuno-moodulin (Imood) in their lymphocytes, a type of immune cell.
The discovery may be profound as it supports an emerging concept that the immune system may influence mental disorders. Moreover, treatment with appropriate antibodies could therefore be of significant benefit to individuals with some forms of mental disorders.
Using a mice model, scientists at Queen Mary University of London and the University of Roehampton, London, discovered that mice with high levels of this protein were also found to exhibit behaviors that are characteristic of anxiety
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