Genes linked to the immune system can affect healthy people's
personality traits as well as the risk of developing mental
illness and suicidal behaviour, reveals a thesis from the
University of Gothenburg, Sweden. Inflammation is part of the
immune system and is responsible for defending humans against
infection as well as fascilitating the healing of injuries, and
is therefore vital for our survival. Research has demonstrated
that inflammatory processes also have other roles to play as
inflammatory substances produced by the body influence
mechanisms in the brain involving learning and memory.
Inflammatory substances produced in moderate quantities in the
brain can be beneficial during the formation of new brain cells,
for example. However, an increase in the levels of these
substances as is the case during illness, can result in damage
to the brain. "Previous studies have shown that individuals
suffering from various mental illnesses have an increased
peripheral inflammation, but the reason behind this incr