​Val's Note:  Kipnis was formerly at the University of Virginia, now at the Washington University in St. Louis.

He is also an academic editor of the Journal of Experimental Medicine which publishes ​ papers on immunology, cancer biology, vascular biology, microbial pathogenesis, neuroscience and stem cell biology.

​Val's Take/Conjecture

• ​If you ask Google AI about autism or ADHD, it's going to come back and say current research finds that Vaccinations do not "CAUSE" autism or ADHD.

​In fact, medical professionals do have guidelines regarding vaccinations and people with Neuro-Immune Disorders such as Multiple Sclerosis.

​The emerging neuroimmune hypothesis of bipolar disorder: An updated overview of neuroimmune and microglial findings (2024)

​The immunological perspective of major depressive disorder: unveiling the interactions between central and peripheral immune mechanisms (2025)

​Neuro-Immune Aspects of Schizophrenia with Severe Negative Symptoms: New Diagnostic Markers of Disease Phenotype (2025)

​Psychiatric adverse events following COVID-19 vaccination: a population-based cohort study in Seoul, South Korea (2024)

​"Therefore, special cautions are necessary for administering additional COVID-19 vaccinations to populations vulnerable to psychiatric AEs (Adverse Events)."

Understanding Neuro-Developmental & Psychiatric Disorders as Neuro-Immune Disorders ​

​Neuroimmunity at the edge: The skull as a brain - periphery immunological hub in autism spectrum disorder (2025)

​Evaluating the link between immune characteristics and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder through a bi-directional Mendelian randomization study (2024)

​Conclusion: Studies indicate that the immune system’s response influences the emergence of ADHD.

The findings greatly improve our understanding of the interplay between immune responses and ADHD risk, aiding in the development of treatment strategies from an immunological perspective.

I just don't think it is that counter-intuitive that there might need to be some special considerations with regard to vaccines and Neuro-Immune Neuro-Developmental & Psychiatric Disorders.

We need to get out of the Anti-Vaxx/Conspiracy Theorist construction of this debate.
​
Recognizing legitimate issues and nuance supported by the evidence might help.

​"DNA methylation is the addition of a methyl group to the molecular structure of DNA, which then alters the gene expression."

​DNA and RNA methylation directly linked for the first time (2025)

​Is paternal immune activation just as important as maternal immune activation?

Time to rethink the bi-parental immune priming of neurodevelopmental model of schizophrenia (2023)

​Highlights

Paternal immune activation might enhance schizophrenia risk.

Epigenetic processes might mediate the effects of paternal immune activation.
​
Bi-parental immune priming seems to drive schizophrenia immunopathogenesis.

​"This study demonstrates that the gut-germline axis influences sperm small RNA profiles and offspring physiology, with specific impacts on offspring affective and/or coping behaviors.

"These findings may have broader implications for other animal species with comparable gut microbiota, intergenerational epigenetics and developmental biology, including humans."

​Paternal immune activation by Poly I:C modulates sperm noncoding RNA profiles and causes transgenerational changes in offspring behavior (2024)

​The missing half: Paternal immune activation's role in transgenerational sex differences (2024)

​Val's Take/Conjecture

• It's estimated that 90 to 95% of the population have the Epstein-Barr Virus.
• So the virus itself is far from rare --- what's rare in various diseases and disorders is an ATYPICAL RESPONSE to the Epstein-Barr Virus.

​Multiple sclerosis and bipolar disorder: an overlap between soma and psyche (2024)

​"This clinical vignette with literature review is an illustration of the interesting, yet still unknown relationship between MS and affective disorders, where one might be influenced by the other but also have a common pathophysiology.

"This highlights that the dividing line between neurology and psychiatry, whose pathophysiology often takes place in the same organ, is often arbitrary."

​​Does Epstein-Barr virus and intracellular Toll-like receptors affect the course of Hashimoto [Thyroiditis] disease? Findings from studies on newly-diagnosed patients (2024)

​Microglia as potential key regulators in viral-induced neuroinflammation (2024)

​Awakening the sleeping giant: Epstein–Barr virus reactivation by biological agents (2024)

​Hypothesis: bipolar disorder is an Epstein-Barr virus-driven chronic autoimmune disease - implications for immunotherapy (2020)

​Microbes and Mental Illness: Past, Present, and Future (2023)

​"Perspectives on the etiology of mental illness have evolved from demonic possession toward multisystem biologically based models that include gene expression, environmental triggers, immune mediators, and infectious diseases.

"Microbes are associated with a number of mental disorders, including autism, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depressive disorders, and anxiety disorders, as well as suicidality and aggressive or violent behaviors. "

​Atypical immune response to Epstein-Barr virus in major depressive disorder (2020)

​Epstein-Barr virus lytic replication and cancer (2025)

​"Epidemiological studies have provided strong evidence that Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) lytic replication is linked to cancer development."

​Shrinks in Sneakers
(Dr. Garrett Rossi)
Thyroid Hormone in Major Depression and Bipolar Depression

​["Life style choices" are important -- BUT if we don't understand how dysregulations IN UTERO affect lifestyle choices across the lifespan and make people more vulnerable to various disorders and diseases as a result of these prenatal dysregulations ----- there is a high likelihood we're going to get a partial, misleading answer.]

​Polystyrene microplastics induce anxiety via HRAS derived PERK-NF-κB pathway (2024)

​Val's Take/Conjecture

• NOTE:  I am NOT a doctor --- I'm not recommending any treatments.
• On the other hand, I am recommending we investigate Lactoferrin further.

​This is complicated, of course.

• There is a study from 1982 showing that people with schizophrenia have MORE LACTOFERRIN.

​At the time, this was thought to reflect an abnormal inflammatory response in people with schizophrenia.

• Elevated serum levels of lactoferrin and eosinophil cationic protein in schizophrenic patients (1982)

​See also:

• Global Bibliometric and Visualized Analysis of Research on Lactoferrin from 1978 to 2024 (2024)

​Abstract

Numerous harmful factors that affect the human body from birth to old age cause many disturbances, e.g., in the structure of the genome, inducing cell apoptosis [programmed cell death] and their degeneration, which leads to the development of many diseases, including cancer.

Among the factors leading to pathological processes, microbes, viruses, gene dysregulation and immune system disorders have been described.

The function of a protective agent may be played by lactoferrin as a "miracle molecule", an endogenous protein with a number of favorable antimicrobial, antiviral, antioxidant, immunostimulatory and binding DNA properties.

The purpose of this article is to present the broad spectrum of properties and the role that lactoferrin plays in protecting human cells at all stages of life.

​Abstract

Nutrition during the early postnatal period exerts a profound impact on both infant development and later-life health.

Breast milk, which contains lactoferrin, a dynamic protein, plays a crucial role in the growth of various biological systems and in preventing numerous chronic diseases.

Based on the relationship between early infant development and chronic diseases later in life, this paper presents a review of the effects of lactoferrin in early life on neonates intestinal tract, immune system, nervous system, adipocyte development, and early intestinal microflora establishment, as well as the preventive and potential mechanisms of early postnatal lactoferrin against adult allergy, inflammatory bowel disease, depression, cancer, and obesity.

Furthermore, we summarized the application status of lactoferrin in the early postnatal period and suggested directions for future research.

​"Our findings suggest that lactoferrin intake during lactation protects neurons by regulating microglial activation, thereby effectively reducing depressive symptoms in adults."