UMMS researchers: immune system, social beahvior linked

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these findings could have great implications for neurological diseases such as autism-spectrum disorders and schizophrenia.

The researchers note that a malfunctioning immune system may be responsible for "social deficits in numerous neurological and psychiatric disorders." But exactly what this might mean for autism and other specific conditions requires further investigation. It is unlikely that any one molecule will be responsible for disease or the key to a cure, the researchers believe. Instead, the causes are likely to be much more complex. But the discovery that the immune system—and possibly germs, by extension—can control our interactions raises many exciting avenues for scientists to explore, both in terms of battling neurological disorders and understanding human behavior.