HMRI and University of Newcastle researcher, Professor Murray Cairns, along with his Precision Medicine team have discovered a unique biomarker in the blood of people with schizophrenia. The findings, published in Science Advances this week, offer a rare insight into the molecular characteristics of the brain by using neuronally derived material present in circulating blood. 

HMRI and University of Newcastle researcher, Professor Murray Cairns, along with his Precision Medicine team have discovered a unique biomarker in the blood of people with schizophrenia. The findings, published in Science Advances this week, offer a rare insight into the molecular characteristics of the brain by using neuronally derived material present in circulating blood. 

Professor Cairns explains, “Understanding schizophrenia on a molecular level has been notoriously difficult because, until now, we’ve needed to extract tissue from the brain. This can only be done postmortem and over the past decade, we’ve only had limited access to this precious resource. 

 “The new technique that we have pioneered, in partnership with the Australian Schizophrenia Research biobank, allowed us to analyse blood serum from 600 participants, including 230 people diagnosed with schizophrenia.

“We have been able to use blood from living people to understand what is different about the neurons in the brain. The blood contains small liposome-like vesicles that encapsulate molecules from the neurons in the brain where they originate.

“Because we were able to use blood from living clinical trial participants, we can compare with other data including MRI images, genome sequences, diagnostic instruments, and other cognitive parameters,” says Professor Cairns. 

The bottom line for this new technique is that Professor Cairns and his team will be able to more specifically direct treatment and potentially measure the response in participants with schizophrenia. 

 Professor Cairns says, “Nearly one per cent of people are diagnosed with schizophrenia during their life and up to 50 per cent end up with treatment-resistant disease that fails to respond to the standard-of-care medications. It’s important to help people experiencing psychosis quickly before they withdraw from work and social connections; before an acute episode becomes a chronic condition.

 “The neurons in the brain are responsible for controlling memory, movement and cognition. By understanding what’s different about the neurons of people with schizophrenia, and being able to test for the biomarkers of the disease, we are better able to diagnose and effectively treat people with the right medication,” says Professor Cairns. 

HMRI is a partnership between the University of Newcastle, Hunter New England Health and the community.