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Emerging Roles of Complement in Psychiatric Disorders

Mélanie Druart1,2,3, Corentin Le Magueresse1,2,3

  • 1INSERM UMR-S 1270, Paris, France.

Frontiers in Psychiatry
|September 10, 2019
PubMed

Insights

The complement system, crucial for immunity, also plays a key role in brain development and function. This review explores its involvement in synaptic pruning and neurological disorders, highlighting therapeutic potential.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Immunology

Background:

  • The complement system comprises over 30 proteins involved in immune defense and cellular debris removal.
  • Complement proteins are expressed in the brain and influence neural development and function.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the established role of complement in immunity.
  • To examine the contribution of complement to normal brain development, including neurogenesis and synaptic pruning.
  • To discuss the role of complement in psychiatric and neurological diseases and its therapeutic potential.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of complement system functions in immunity and the central nervous system.
  • Analysis of complement's role in neurodevelopmental processes like synaptic pruning.
  • Evaluation of complement's involvement in neurological and psychiatric disorders.

Main Results:

  • Complement mediates synaptic pruning, essential for normal brain development.
  • The complement system is implicated in pathological synapse elimination in conditions like schizophrenia and neurodegenerative diseases.
  • Complement proteins are involved in neurogenesis and neuronal migration.

Conclusions:

  • The complement system has critical roles beyond immunity, significantly impacting brain development and function.
  • Dysregulation of complement contributes to synapse loss in various brain disorders.
  • Targeting the complement system offers potential therapeutic strategies for neurological and psychiatric conditions.

Keywords:
brain developmentmicrogliaschizophreniasynapse eliminationsynaptic pruning

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