Brain blood vessel discovery could aid schizophrenia treatment

Irish scientists say they have discovered characteristics of the brain that may lead to new treatments for schizophrenia.

Scientists from Trinity College Dublin and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland conducted research on the blood-brain barrier (BBB) of mice — the network of blood vessels that regulates the transport of energy and materials in and out of the brain.

They found that abnormalities in the integrity of the BBB may be a critical component in the development of schizophrenia and other brain disorders.