Can autoimmune diseases affect mental health?

In the 1930s, scientists discovered the presence of autoantibodies in a patient with schizophrenia,^[1] putting autoimmunity and autoimmune disorders on the radar as possible contributing factors to mental health disorders. Research in subsequent decades has found associations between autoimmunity and many mental health disorders,^[2] but the identification of specific autoantibody biomarkers has been elusive.^[3] Systemic autoimmune disorders such as lupus can lead to a number of neurological and psychiatric symptoms such as anxiety, mood disorders, and psychosis.^[4] While the mechanisms by which autoimmunity affects the brain are not completely understood, evidence is mounting that in addition to other parts of the body, the immune system may inappropriately target synaptic proteins in the brain, leading to psychiatric symptoms and mental health disorders.