(Carly Cassella/Science Alert) — Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder that has been baffling scientists for decades. It’s one of the most enigmatic afflictions out there, and no matter how much research is carried out, the mysteries continue to pile on.
Today, one of the most burning questions, still unanswered, has to do with the role of viral infections.
While schizophrenia is known to have at least some genetic component, a growing body of evidence has also linked this disorder to viral exposure, and this includes the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a herpes virus that causes infectious mononucleosis, also known as mono.
While past research has gone back and forth on this connection, a new study has pushed us a little closer to an answer. (…)