Understanding immune mechanisms of psychiatric disorders using patient data
Our lab is involved in various randomized clinical trials and cohort studies in which we analyze whether infection and dysregulation of the immune system is related to mental disorders. These includes our ongoing studies in pregnant women in which we aim to understand the impact of infections and immune activation on maternal mental health and development of psychiatric disorders in the offspring.
Patients and controls
Population-based
Pregnant people
Cytokines, chemokines, C-reactive protein, auto-antibodies and other immune-related markers are measured in blood or cerebrospinal to analyze how changes in immune-related pathways are related to psychiatric illnesses.
Immune biomarkers
Our lab has been involved in several placebo-controlled randomized trials and population-based studies to analyze whether immune-modulatory treatments might have a positive effect o symptoms, disease onset and outcome of different psychiatric diseases.
Immune-modulatory medication
We are interested in the role of infections and immune activation on the development of psychiatric diseases.
Exposures
Patients and controls
Population-based
Pregnant people
Cytokines, chemokines, C-reactive protein, auto-antibodies and other immune-related markers are measured in blood or cerebrospinal to analyze how changes in immune-related pathways are related to psychiatric illnesses.
Immune biomarkers
Our lab has been involved in several placebo-controlled randomized trials and population-based studies to analyze whether immune-modulatory treatments might have a positive effect o symptoms, disease onset and outcome of different psychiatric diseases.
Immune-modulatory medication
We are interested in the role of infections and immune activation on the development of psychiatric diseases.
Exposures
Key Publications
No Association Between Anti-Thyroidperoxidase Antibodies and Bipolar Disorder: A Study in the Dutch Bipolar Cohort and a Meta-Analysis.
GJLJ Snijders et al. Psychoneuroendocrinology. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2020 Feb;112:104518.
Cannabinoids and psychotic symptoms: A potential role for a genetic variant in the P2X purinoceptor 7 (P2RX7) gene.
Boks MP, He Y, Schubart CD, Gastel WV, Elkrief L, Huguet G, Eijk KV, Vinkers CH, Kahn RS, Paus T, Conrod P, Hol EM, de Witte LD. Brain Behav Immun. 2020 Apr 21:S0889-1591(19)31328-5. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2020.04.051.
The association between antibodies to neurotropic pathogens and bipolar disorder : A study in the Dutch Bipolar (DB) Cohort and meta-analysis.
Snijders GJLJ, van Mierlo HC, Boks MP, Begemann MJH, Sutterland AL, Litjens M, Ophoff RA, Kahn RS, de Witte LD. Transl Psychiatry. 2019 Nov 20;9(1):311
Are infectious agents involved in the pathogenesis of postpartum psychosis?
de Witte LD, Snijders G, Litjens M Kamperman AM, Kushner SA, Kahn RS, Bergink V. J Affect Disord. 2018 Mar 15;229:141-144 PMID
No neuronal autoantibodies detected in plasma of patients with a bipolar I disorder.
Snijders G, Titulaer MJ2, Bergink V, Bastiaansen AE, Schreurs MWJ, Ophoff RA, Boks MP, Kahn RS, de Witte LD. 2018 Jan;259:460-462. Psychiatry research.
Absence of cerebrospinal fluid antineuronal antibodies in schizophrenia spectrum disorders.
Oviedo-Salcedo T, de Witte LD, Kümpfel T, Kahn RS, Falkai P, Eichhorn P, Luykx J, Hasan A. Br J Psychiatry. 2018 May;212(5):318-320.
In vivo (R)-[(11)C]PK11195 PET imaging of 18kDa translocator protein in recent onset psychosis.
Van der Doef TF, de Witte LD, Sutterland AL, Jobse E, Yaqub M, Boellaard R, de Haan L, Eriksson J, NPJ Schizophrenia 2016 Aug 31;2:16031.
Absence of N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor IgG Autoantibodies in Schizophrenia.
de Witte LD, Hoffmann C, van Mierlo HC, Titulaer MJ, Kahn RS, Martinez-Martinez P; European Consortium of Autoimmune Mental Disorders (CAIMED). JAMA psychiatry 2015 Jul;72(7):731-3
The association between antibodies to neurotropic pathogens and schizophrenia: a case-control study.
de Witte LD, van Mierlo HC, Litjens M, Klein HC, Bahn S, Osterhaus AD; GROUP Investigators. NPJ Schizophrenia 1, 15041 (2015).
Cytokine alterations in first-episode schizophrenia patients before and after antipsychotic treatment.
de Witte L, Tomasik J, Schwarz E, Guest PC, Rahmoune H, Kahn RS, Bahn S. Schizophrenia Research 2014 Apr;154(1-3):23-9.
The prevalence of antinuclear antibodies in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders: results from a large cohort study.
Van Mierlo HC, de Witte LD, Derksen RHWM, Otten HG and the GROUP investigators. NPJ Schizophrenia 1, 15013 (2015).