Michael Berk

Antonio L. Teixeira

Natalia P. Rocha

This book presents the ‘state of the art’ of biomarkers research in neuropsychiatric conditions, from dementia to eating disorders, as well as providing methodological, practical and ethical issues related to the development of biomarkers. Biomarkers have revolutionized clinical research and practice in most fields of medicine, but psychiatry has lagged behind. However, in the last decade, there has been a growing expectation that biomarkers will advance and, ultimately, reframe psychiatry research and practice. Biomarkers might inform about diagnosis, therapeutics, prognosis, contributing to a ‘personalized medicine’. Understanding their meaning, possibilities and limitations will help clinicians, researchers and students in the related areas navigate and excel in the challenging and ever changing field of neuropsychiatric disorders.

A Primer

Biomarkers in Neuropsychiatry

Bernhard T. Baune

Danielle Macedo

Perinatal psychiatry is an emerging field that investigates the role of perinatal events – for example pregnancy complications and infections – in the development of neuropsychiatric conditions, such as schizophrenia and mood disorders. Among the implicated pathological mechanisms, perinatal-induced inflammation seems to play a major role and is being considered as a potential target for therapeutic intervention. Bringing together various approaches in the field (preclinical and clinical, epidemiological, immunological and genetic methods), the book discusses the available evidence, the putative mechanisms and the challenges ahead.

From Preclinical Models to Humans

Perinatal Inflammation and Adult Psychopathology

Moises E. Bauer

In recent years, a dedicated effort has been made to understand the immune dysfunction that is associated with major psychiatric disorders. The expanding knowledge of the immune system as a major homeostatic system has been very helpful in indicating new potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets to reduce the burden of psychiatric disorders. Indeed, immune cells, their secreted molecules, and cell signalling events are highly promising. Yet, the literature on immunology of psychiatric disorders is still dispersed, and only a few attempts have been made to consolidate the current knowledge in this expanding area. This book assembles and presents the available data on the immune/inflammatory dysfunction in psychiatric disorders, indicating the potential of immune mechanisms as either biomarkers or therapeutic targets, as well as discussing the challenges ahead of incorporating this knowledge into clinical practice. An international team of senior experts in the field review all psychiatric disorders in order to provide an integrated, in-depth understanding of the role of immune changes in psychiatric diseases for mental health clinicians as well as for researchers in immunology, psychiatry, neurology, and pharmacology.

A Clinician's Introduction to the Immune Basis of Mental Disorders

Immunopsychiatry

Antonio L. Teixeira

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