Excess Brain Waste May Lead to Psychosis, And The Risks Could Start in Childhood

International researchers analyzed brain scans from 85 people with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS).

Participants were aged 5–35 during scans and belonged to a 25-year longitudinal cohort that included healthy siblings.

The study examined disruptions to parts of the glymphatic system, including the blood–brain barrier, using the ALPS index to measure water movement along brain channels.

Individuals with 22q11DS showed signs of impaired brain clearance early; those who developed psychosis did not show the expected age-related development and expansion of the glymphatic system.

The trajectory indicates vulnerability before symptom onset arising from interactions between biological and environmental factors.