Topic: C3aR

The complement system is an innate immune pathway that responds to pathogens and cellular stress. The complement receptor C3aR is expressed on various brain cells, especially microglia. C3a, the ligand of C3aR, is elevated in several psychiatric disorders, such as psychosis, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression. Previous studies have shown that mice lacking C3aR exhibit behavioural abnormalities, including anxiety, hyperactivity, and working memory deficit. These findings indicate that C3aR is involved in the development and/or function of brain circuits. We performed a brain imaging