Hope for Schizophrenia Treatment: Nanobodies Boost Brain Function in Mice

Tiny nanobodies. Big promise.

STARTER STATS

• Roughly 1% of Canadians aged 10 and older have been diagnosed with schizophrenia

• Men (56%) are slightly more affected than women (44%)

• The average age for newly diagnosed cases is 20-34 years old 

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Researchers at the University of Toronto have isolated tiny nanobodies (antibody-like molecules) that can penetrate the protective blood-brain barrier and improve cognitive performance in mice.

The brain is notoriously difficult to reach with biologic therapies. The team's groundbreaking work shows that nanobodies can enter the brain and enhance memory and sensory processing, marking a significant step toward improved treatments for schizophrenia and GRIN1 disorder. Notably, the effects were independent of the animals' sex or weight.

If translatable to humans, the implications are wide-ranging, opening new therapeutic pathways for cognitive disorders, neurodevelopmental conditions, and diseases where standard antibodies can’t reach brain tissue.

However, much work remains to be done on safety, human dosage, delivery, and regulatory approval. Meanwhile, the research team is already working with European partners to test in additional genetic models.

“Nanobodies have a lot of promise to be complementary to traditional biologic therapies like antibodies… They might be able to do some things that traditional biologics cannot, like crossing the blood-brain barrier and acting to modulate a target.”

— Dr. Amy Ramsey, Associate Professor

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