Daijiworld Media Network- Zurich

Zurich, Apr 23: In a major breakthrough that could redefine early detection of schizophrenia, an international team of scientists has found that people genetically predisposed to the disorder tend to have thinner retinas — an insight that may open new avenues in diagnosis and treatment.

Led by the University of Zurich and the University Hospital of Psychiatry Zurich, the study links subtle retinal changes with a higher polygenic risk score for schizophrenia. What’s remarkable is that these changes are detectable even in otherwise healthy individuals, years before any clinical symptoms may appear.

Researchers analyzed data from the UK Biobank, a massive health database that includes genetic and retinal information from over 500,000 participants. According to lead author Dr. Finn Rabe, “Our findings reveal that higher genetic risk for schizophrenia correlates with thinner retinal tissue. Although the effect is subtle, it becomes clear with large-scale data.”

The retina, being a direct extension of the central nervous system, mirrors changes happening in the brain. While schizophrenia is known to shrink gray matter in the brain, previous findings also hinted at retinal degradation. However, this is the first large-scale genetic evidence linking these eye changes directly to schizophrenia risk.

Crucially, these retinal changes were measured using optical coherence tomography (OCT) — a quick, non-invasive eye scan already used in many eye clinics. “It’s like an ultrasound for the eyes,” explains Rabe. “The test takes just minutes and could eventually help screen people at risk of schizophrenia long before the disease manifests.”

The study also supports the inflammation hypothesis of schizophrenia, pointing to specific genetic variants involved in inflammatory responses that may affect both brain and retinal structure. If inflammation is indeed a driving factor, future therapies could aim to manage it early, potentially altering the course of the disease.

While the discovery holds promise, experts caution that further long-term studies are needed before OCT scans can become a routine tool in psychiatric screening.

As mental health diagnostics move toward biological markers, this research shines a light — quite literally — on how the eyes might help decode the mind.