Brain-Immune Interactions in Neuropsychiatry: Highlights of the Basic Science and Relevance to Pathogenic Factors and Epiphenomena

Unraveling the significant complexity of brain-immune interactions could provide essential new insights and potential treatment considerations for the clinical neurosciences. Despite considerable research relating immunological changes to major neuropsychiatric disorders, it has been difficult to establish that immunological processes are involved in the development of central nervous system pathology associated with these disorders. This brief article highlights some of the landmark basic studies and seeks to convey essential principles guiding research in brain-immune interactions. Research in this area often incorporates several disciplines, ranging from psychology and neuroscience to immunology and molecular genetics. The clinical implications of this area of research are discussed, with emphasis on the challenge of disentangling pathogenic factors and valid markers of disease from epiphenomena.