[Nerve growth factor auto-antibodies in the sera of mothers of schizophrenic children and children from high risk group]

A level of autoantibodies (aAB) to nerve growth factor (NGF) was measured in blood serum of children from 4 groups: 1) schizophrenic patients; 2) children from the families, in which one of the parents suffered with schizophrenia (high risk groups of schizophrenia); 3) children with residual-organic damages of CNS; 4) control group. This index was also determined in their mothers. Significant elevation of a titer of aAB to NGF was observed in blood of children from groups 1 and 2 as well as in their mothers, as compared with 3 and 4 groups. Among the mothers of the children from 1 and 2 groups there were met women with different endogenous mental disorders, with the disorders of personality as well as mentally healthy women. An increase of a level of aAB to NGF was found in all the women from groups 1 and 2, independently of their mental status including mentally healthy women. Such results allow to consider elevated level of aAB to NGF as a risk factor of mental pathology.