Professor T.P. Klyushnik: "Love science and do not grudge time for it!"

Abstract

An interview with Professor Tatiana Pavlovna Klyushnik, Dr. Med. Sci., Director, Head of the Neuroimmunology Laboratory at the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution 'Scientific Centre for Mental Health' of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation. Tatiana Pavlovna told us that scientific work was her unconscious desire from school-days and that she has always wanted to understand the essence of diseases. The interview details new clinical and biological pathogenic hypotheses of mental disorders, in particular of schizophrenia, that do not only uncover the mechanisms behind psychopathologic symptoms, but also facilitate the advent of new therapeutic and preventive strategies, new diagnostic approaches. Currently, an array of capabilities to diagnose and treat psychosomatic disorders and borderline pathologies, anxiety, autism spectrum disorders is relatively wide. Professor Klyushnik explained the value of kynurenic hypothesis of mental disorders and how the description of molecular mechanisms of inflammation impact on neurotransmission disorders opens up new potential targets for pharmaceutical development. A description of key activities of the Scientific Centre for Mental Health wraps up the interview.