Method for detecting antibodies against neuropeptides and drugs in human body fluid

A method for detecting in a sample of human body fluid the presence of specific antibodies against brain peptides or brain drugs comprising the steps of:

• (a) coating a multiwell plate with a solution of neuropeptide or brain drug to be detected, by incubating the plate for more than 24 hours with said solution at about 0.degree. to 4.degree. C. without a blocking step;
• (b) then allowing a sample of immunoglobulin containing human body fluid in which the presence of antibody to th e neuropeptide or brain drug is to be detected, to react with the coated plate in humidified air containing about 5-7% CO.sub.2 for about 1.5 to 3 hours at 37.degree. C.;
• (c) then washing the plate with a buffered detergent more than 5 times to remove unbound material from the plate;
• (d) then allowing anti-human antibody conjugated with a marker entity to react for about 1.5 to 3 hours in humidified air containing about 5-7% CO.sub.2 at about 37.degree. C. with the washed plate of step (c) to allow binding of the conjugated-antibody with the human antibody bound to the neuropeptide or brain drug;
• (e) then removing the unreacted material from the plate by washing more than 5 times as in step (c);
• (f) then determining the presence of the marker by enzymatic, spectrophotometric, fluorscentphotometric or radioisotopic assay and comparing with a control sample treated identically as in step (a) thru (e), a reading above the control being indicative of the presence of antibody against the neuropeptide or the brain drug.