Immune System Markers in Schizophrenia and Psychotic Disorders
Summary
Accumulating evidence indicates that schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders are accompanied by dysregulation of both innate and adaptive immune systems. Peripheral markers including elevated leukocyte subsets, shifts in neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and raised acute-phase proteins such as C-reactive protein reveal a state of low-grade systemic inflammation in a subset of patients. Within the central nervous system, microglial activation and altered cytokine profiles contribute to neuroinflammatory processes that may influence synaptic pruning and neurotransmitter balance. Genetic and epigenetic studies further highlight immune-related loci and pathways, suggesting shared vulnerability between immune regulation and neurodevelopmental trajectories. Together, these findings underscore a bidirectional interaction in which psychotic illness can modulate immune traits, while specific immune profiles may predispose to or exacerbate clinical symptoms. Recognition of this heterogeneity has practical implications for stratifying patients for anti-inflammatory or immunomodulatory interventions and for developing peripheral biomarkers to guide prognosis and treatment response.
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Immune System Markers in Schizophrenia and Psychotic Disorders publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in immune system markers in schizophrenia and psychotic disorders across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Innate immunity: first-line defence mediated by cells such as neutrophils and monocytes.
Adaptive immunity: antigen-specific response involving T and B lymphocytes.
Meta-analysis: statistical synthesis of multiple studies to derive pooled estimates.
Mendelian randomisation: genetic approach using inherited variants to infer causal relationships.
Cytokines: signalling proteins that regulate immune and inflammatory responses.
Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR): marker of systemic inflammation calculated from blood counts.
Microglia: resident immune cells of the central nervous system involved in homeostasis and neuroinflammation.
References
- Immune Cell Alterations in Psychotic Disorders: A Comprehensive Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Biological Psychiatry (2024).
- The causal relationship between immune cell traits and schizophrenia: a Mendelian randomization analysis. Frontiers in Immunology (2024).
- Microglia and Other Cellular Mediators of Immunological Dysfunction in Schizophrenia: A Narrative Synthesis of Clinical Findings. Cells (2023).
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