Folate Receptor Alpha Autoantibodies

Both autism and schizophrenia  are chronic and hard to treat diseases.  There are only two antipsychotics that have FDA approval for use in autism.  These drugs only treat aggression, not an underlying cause of autism.  In schizophrenia, the drugs don’t always work, and due to side effects people don’t always take them.  It’s clear that biomarkers and treatments for both diseases are needed.

Folate Receptor Alpha autoantibodies are implicated in several disease states including cerebral folate deficiency, autism (and specifically thyroid dysfunction in autism), miscarriage, and schizophenia.  In this presentation, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, Gail Dawson will discuss how Folate Receptor Alpha autoantibodies can be tested for, and how to treat if they are present.  Gail will also review the evidence for Transglutaminase antibody 6 (to Gluten) and how it can attack the brain in people with schizophrenia.