Abstract
0Biomarker is a characteristic which is objectively measurable and assessable as the indicator of physiological biological processes, disease pathophysiology or treatment response. It may be defined at the molecular, cellular, organ or systemic levels.
Biomarkers are divided into diagnostic, predictive, therapeutic, preventative and prophylactic ones. Thus, biomarker is an indicator which should help us correctly predict, diagnose, treat and prevent a given disease.
In case of schizophrenia, no biomarker which can be applied in a routine clinical practice is recently available. An intensive research is going on, potential biomarkers in the field of genetics, epigenetics, metabolomics, electrophysiology and immunology seem to be promising.
Schizophrenia is a complex disease, "panels" of biomarkers instead of individual isolated findings should be sought for.