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2025: Hepatitis C virus pushes the brain toward schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Scientific proof
The researchers obtained direct evidence linking hepatitis C virus to the development of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder by finding pathogen RNA in the brains of patients with these diagnoses. The virus was localized in the vascular plexus - the barrier structure between the blood and the brain, which indicates its role in the formation of mental disorders, scientists said in July 2025. Read more here
2024
The volume of the Russian market for antipsychotics for patients with schizophrenia has grown to ₽950 million over the year
The volume of tender purchases of the antipsychotic chlorpromazine amounted to ₽950 million in 2024. The first generation drug remains the leader in terms of supply in the category. The total purchase of antipsychotics used in the treatment of nervous and mental disorders reached ₽6,14 billion over the period. 36% growth was recorded from 2021 to August 2025. The average annual growth rate exceeds 10% in the category. This is evidenced by the data of the review of the IT company Cursor, published by Vademecum on October 8, 2025.
Cursor specializes in collecting and analyzing tender purchases of medicines. The market review covered the period from January 2021 to August 2025. Antipsychotics are used in the treatment of schizophrenia and other mental disorders. Purchases of chlorpromazine amounted to ₽717,2 million in 2021. In the first eight months of 2025, the figure reached ₽667,6 million. The leadership of the drug is maintained throughout the follow-up period.
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Among the leaders in terms of procurement are also second-generation drugs. Paliperidone showed ₽838 million in 2024 and ₽475 million in eight months of 2025. Risperidon recorded ₽749 million and ₽348 million for the same periods, respectively. Clozapine reached ₽727 million in 2024 and ₽472 million in 2025. Zuklopentyxol showed ₽394,6 million in 2024 at the end of the year. Atypical antipsychotics gradually displace first-generation drugs.
The share of new generation drugs has more than doubled in four years, according to analysts. The indicator increased from 4.1% to 10.9% in the procurement structure. The volume of purchases of innovative antipsychotics exceeded ₽700 million during the reporting period. The largest increase was shown by brexpiprazole with an increase of 34 times from 2021 to 2025. Cariprazine is up 281% in four years. Aripiprazole showed an increase of 180% over the period.[1]
The number of children with schizophrenia in Russia increased by 6.5%
The number of children diagnosed with schizophrenia in Russia has increased by 6.5% since 2000. This was reported by the Ministry of Health of Russia in September 2024, announcing updated clinical recommendations for the treatment of this disease in minors. The introduction of new standards will begin in 2025 and will include a clearer gradation of the signs of schizophrenia, which will allow more accurate diagnosis and treatment of this disorder in children.
According to GxP News, schizophrenia as a whole affects from 0.3% to 0.7% of the world's population, which is about 20-30 million people. Among patients diagnosed in childhood, the number of cases ranges from 1% to 4%, depending on the sources. In Russia, there is an increase in the number of cases among children, which forced specialists to reconsider the existing approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of this disease.
One of the main reasons for the increase in the number of children with schizophrenia is the improvement of diagnostic methods. In large cities where access to health services is more developed, the percentage of cases identified may be lower, as diagnosis is challenging. Tatyana Solomatina, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Health Protection, noted that by 2000 most of the standards in the field of psychiatry had been revised, which contributed to a change in the situation with the diagnosis and treatment of schizophrenia.
Solomatina also stressed that the situation with the children's psyche is inextricably linked with social factors. The influence of external stresses, such as a tense family environment and a lack of attention to the child, can accelerate the development of mental disorders, such as schizophrenia.
In addition, the new clinical recommendations of the Russian Ministry of Health include five groups of signs of schizophrenia, which will allow doctors to more accurately determine the stages and forms of the disease. This innovation is aimed at improving the quality of medical care for children with this diagnosis.[2]
2023: Development of schizophrenia linked to maternal vitamin D levels
On May 24, 2023, Australian neuroscientists from the University of Queensland published the results of a study suggesting that the development of schizophrenia is associated with maternal vitamin D levels.
Schizophrenia is thought to develop as a result of a combination of genetic causes and environmental factors. The exact mechanism of appearance of this mental disorder is unknown, but there is evidence that this condition is associated with the work of brain cells that produce dopamine - a chemical that ensures well-being. In a new study, Australian experts have examined the link between vitamin D in the mother, dopaminergic neurons and schizophrenia. Molecular imaging technology was used for this.
Scientists have created dopamine-like neurons to reproduce the differentiation process that is observed during embryo development. Neurons were cultured with and without the hormone calcitriol. Vitamin D supplied with food is inactive until it undergoes two enzymatic reactions in the body: one of them occurs in the kidneys, where the substance is converted into calcitriol - its active form. Calcitriol then binds to the vitamin D receptor and activates it in the cell nucleus.
The researchers found that vitamin D not only affects cell differentiation, but also the structure of neurons. As a result, the dopamine release process changes. Using a new FFN imaging tool (False Fluorescent Neurotransmitters), the researchers were able to analyze how dopamine uptake and release changed in the presence or absence of calcitriol. It turned out that dopamine release was enhanced in neurons grown with calcitriol.
 | This is strong evidence that vitamin D affects the structural differentiation of dopaminergic neurons, "said Darryl Eyles, one of the authors of the work.[3] |  |
2022: In Russia, they learned to diagnose schizophrenia from human blood
Russia They learned to diagnose schizophrenia from human blood, which became known in mid-September 2022. Scientists of the Research Institute of Mental Health of the Tomsk National Research Medical Center RAS and their Moscow colleagues found proteins in the serum blood of people suffering from schizophrenia that can become biological markers for the timely diagnosis of this disease.
According to the publication, scientists analyzed the blood serum of patients suffering from schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder (BAR) and healthy people. All patients with mental disorders were hospitalized in the exacerbation stage and have not yet begun to undergo treatment.
It is noted that in modern medical practice, the psychiatrist makes a conclusion about the diagnosis solely on the basis of the clinical picture and his experience, analysis for schizophrenia by September 2022 does not exist.
According to Lyudmila Smirnova, senior researcher at the Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry at the Research Institute of Mental Health, TNIMC RAS, measuring the amount of these proteins by ELISA, which is available in most medical laboratories, can already help doctors diagnose schizophrenia and understand the severity of the disease.
According TASS to the head of scientific work, Professor Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology Philip Haitovich, his team is also developing a method for diagnosing schizophrenia by the content of special marker compounds in blood plasma. The new method is based on a comprehensive analysis of the patient's blood plasma, which takes into account the content and amount of chemical compounds that signal the disease. The authors of the work were able to identify such markers by finding an association between plasma composition and the nature of metabolic changes in the human brain accompanying the development of the disease.[4]
Long-term posture preservation
Pathologically long-term preservation of the attached pose. It is usually observed in some forms of schizophrenia.
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