Neurons In Nose Could Be the Key to Schizophrenia-detection

[ScottMentalPod]

Neurons In Nose Could Be the Key to Schizophrenia-detection
http://scienceblog.com/62649/neurons-in ... detection/

Until now, biomarkers for schizophrenia had only been found in the neuron cells of the brain, which can’t be collected before death. By that point it’s obviously too late to do the patient any good, says Dr. Shomron. Instead, psychiatrists depend on psychological evaluations for diagnosis, including interviews with the patient and reports by family and friends.

For a solution to this diagnostic dilemma, the researchers turned to the olfactory system, which includes neurons located on the upper part of the inner nose. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University collected samples of olfactory neurons from patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and a control group of non-affected individuals, then sent them to Dr. Shomron’s TAU lab.

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Another small step forward.