Washington, July 2 (PTI):A team of scientists have identified the immune system link to schizophrenia, the devastating mental disease thought to be caused by the interaction of both genetic and environmental factors.

They also showed the condition is genetically similar to manic depression. In a follow-up to their earlier work that identified three gene locations that may be implicated in schizophrenia, the researchers identified additional genes that confirms the role of the immune system in the development of the disorder.