Abstrato

Direct evidence of viral infection and mitochondrial alterations in the brain of fetuses at high risk for schizophrenia

Segundo Mesa Castillo

There is increasing evidences that favor the prenatal beginning of schizophrenia. The main point towards intra-uterine environmental factors that act specifically during the second pregnancy trimester producing an immediate damage of the brain of the fetus. The availability of technology doesn't allow observing what is happening at cellular level since the human brain is not exposed to a direct analysis in that stage of the life in subjects at high risk of developing schizophrenia. Methods. In 1977 we began an immediate microscopy research of the brain of fetuses at high risk from schizophrenic mothers so as to finding differences at cellular level in relation to controls. Results. In these studies we've observed within the nuclei of neurons the presence of complete and incomplete viral particles that reacted in positive form with antibodies to herpes simplex hominis type I virus, and mitochondria alterations. Conclusion. The importance of those findings can have practical applications within the prevention of the illness keeping in mind its direct reference to the aetiology and physiopathology of schizophrenia. A study of amnionic fluid cells in women in danger of getting a schizophrenic offspring is taken into account . Of being observed an equivalent alterations that those observed previously within the cells of the brain of the studied foetuses, it might shall these women in risk of having a schizophrenia descendant, previous information of the results, the voluntary medical interruption of the pregnancy or an early anti HSV1 viral treatment as preventive measure of the later development of the illness.