Findings provide new explanation of how many mental disorders develop by: Joel Magarey From: The Australian May 14, 2013 12:00AM A GROWING group of "re-purposed" anti-inflammatory medications are combating depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, with scientists dubbing research findings a "paradigm shift" in the treatment of mental illness. Among findings described at a conference in Melbourne was that a household painkiller, aspirin, has been shown to produce "significant reductions" in the symptoms of schizophrenia. Researchers say the findings provide a new explanation of how many mental disorders develop - via damage to brain tissues associated with abnormal levels of inflammation-related proteins and cells found in the blood and brains of people with mental illnesses. "We've made a discovery - it's quite profound, it has long-term implications for diagnoses, treatment markers and potentially treatment, so it's actually very exciting," University of Melbourne honorary professorial fellow in psychiatry Brian Dean said. Clinical trials are showing that anti-inflammatory medicines or substances, including aspirin, celecoxib, infliximab and the omega 3 fatty acids found in fish oil, significantly alleviate the symptoms of depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia when added to existing treatments. Deakin University professor of psychiatry Michael Berk said the "compelling and consistent and unambiguous" findings showed there was an "acute inflammatory state" in mental disorders and had opened up "one of the most promising new (treatment) alternatives in decades". "Very few (researchers) now do not believe this is a core and important disease pathway. The good news is we don't actually have to develop new medicines; we can repurpose existing medications," he said. "Who would have thought that one of the most promising new drugs in psychiatry could be aspirin?" Psychiatrist and researcher Pat McGorry said analysing changes in inflammation-related proteins could help define the "stages" of progression of mental disorders. It could also enable the discovery of "subtypes" or "inflammatory forms" of illnesses and, combined with the staging model, could lead to psychiatric treatment using blood tests within five to 10 years. Some experts believe inflammatory processes first occur early in - or even before - the development of a mental illness and the damage they create partially causes the full-blown disorder. Many other risk factors, such as trauma and stress, genetic variation, the effect of a maternal infection on the foetus and an unhealthy lifestyle are also thought to create susceptibility by heightening inflammation. Professor Dean said the "inflammation pathways" associated with the altered proteins were involved in causing psychiatric disorders, but it was unclear whether the proteins were creating damage or acting protectively against another damage process. Neuroscience Research Australia chair of schizophrenia research Cyndi Shannon Weickert said the findings represented a "paradigm shift in the field".

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