A NEW study led by Oxford University and Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust has offered hope for a cure in some cases of schizophrenia.

The potentially game-changing research involved 228 people with psychosis across England and found specific antibodies in the blood, which are produced by the immune system to fight infection, that could be the cause of schizophrenia in some patients.

A total of 8.8 per cent of participants with a first episode of psychosis were found to have an antibody in their blood that might have been responsible.

Scientists are now hopeful that the antibodies can be detected and removed early enough it may effectively 'cure' people experiencing psychosis.

Professor Belinda Lennox, of the university's Department of Psychiatry, said: "The next important step for this study is to work out whether removing the antibodies will treat psychosis. To do this the research team are starting a randomised controlled trial of immune treatment in people with psychosis and antibodies, starting in 2017."

The study was funded by the Medical Research Council and involved patients recruited from early intervention services.

Participants were tested within their first six weeks of treatment alongside a comparison group of healthy control subjects.