Hyperactive immune system gene causes schizophrenia-like changes in mice

Excessive activity of an immune system gene previously linked to schizophrenia reproduces neural and behavioral aspects of the disease in mice, according to a new study publishing on January 14 in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by Ashley Comer and Alberto Cruz-Martín of Boston University and colleagues. The finding provides mechanistic support for the importance of the gene in the development of schizophrenia, and may offer a new avenue for therapy development.