Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
9.9
5.1
Journals
Cells
Special Issues
Inflammatory Pathways in Psychiatric Disorders
share announcement

Inflammatory Pathways in Psychiatric Disorders

A special issue of Cells (ISSN 2073-4409). This special issue belongs to the section "Cells of the Nervous System".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2025) | Viewed by 10294

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Teresa Femenía

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Neurosciences, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain
Interests: neuropharmacology; molecular immunobiology; behavior

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Inflammatory pathways have emerged as a significant area of interest in understanding the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders. Mounting evidence suggests that dysregulation of inflammatory processes plays a crucial role in the development and progression of conditions such as depression, anxiety disorders, and schizophrenia affecting both emotional and cognitive functions. Inflammatory markers, including cytokines, chemokines, and immune cells, have been found to be altered in individuals with psychiatric disorders, indicating the presence of an inflammatory state. In this special issue we aim to address a topic on the current understanding of the immune system and inflammatory pathways in psychiatric disorders, highlighting the potential mechanisms underlying their involvement and the implications for developing novel therapeutic approaches targeting inflammation in mental health conditions. We welcome original and review articles in animal and human studies.

Dr. Teresa Femenía
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Cells is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • inflammation
  • immune system
  • psychiatry
  • emotion
  • cognition

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Review

21 pages, 1275 KiB  
Review
Inflammation in Schizophrenia: The Role of Disordered Oscillatory Mechanisms
by Lucinda J. Speers and David K. Bilkey
Cells 2025, 14(9), 650; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells14090650 (registering DOI) - 29 Apr 2025
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a chronic, debilitating disorder with diverse symptomatology, including disorganised cognition and behaviour. Despite considerable research effort, we have only a limited understanding of the underlying brain dysfunction. A significant proportion of individuals with schizophrenia exhibit high levels of inflammation, and inflammation [...] Read more.
Schizophrenia is a chronic, debilitating disorder with diverse symptomatology, including disorganised cognition and behaviour. Despite considerable research effort, we have only a limited understanding of the underlying brain dysfunction. A significant proportion of individuals with schizophrenia exhibit high levels of inflammation, and inflammation associated with maternal immune system activation is a risk factor for the disorder. In this review, we outline the potential role of inflammation in the disorder, with a particular focus on how cytokine release might affect the development and function of GABAergic interneurons. One consequence of this change in inhibitory control is a disruption in oscillatory processes in the brain. These changes disrupt the spatial and temporal synchrony of neural activity in the brain, which, by disturbing representations of time and space, may underlie some of the disorganisation symptoms observed in the disorder. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inflammatory Pathways in Psychiatric Disorders)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

24 pages, 1430 KiB  
Review
Immune Dysregulation in Depression and Anxiety: A Review of the Immune Response in Disease and Treatment
by Christopher Hole, Akash Dhamsania, Cassandra Brown and Rebecca Ryznar
Cells 2025, 14(8), 607; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells14080607 - 17 Apr 2025
Viewed by 415
Abstract
Rates of depression and anxiety have increased significantly in recent decades, with many patients experiencing treatment-resistant symptoms. Beyond psychiatric manifestations, these conditions are associated with heightened risks of suicide, cardiovascular disease, chronic pain, and fatigue. Emerging research suggests that neuroinflammation, immune dysregulation, and [...] Read more.
Rates of depression and anxiety have increased significantly in recent decades, with many patients experiencing treatment-resistant symptoms. Beyond psychiatric manifestations, these conditions are associated with heightened risks of suicide, cardiovascular disease, chronic pain, and fatigue. Emerging research suggests that neuroinflammation, immune dysregulation, and hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis dysfunction contribute to their pathophysiology, often interacting bidirectionally with stress. While current first-line treatments primarily target neurotransmitter imbalances, many patients do not achieve symptom resolution, highlighting the need for novel approaches. This review explores the role of immune dysfunction, cytokine activity, and neurotransmitter interactions in depression and anxiety. Additionally, we examine how existing pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions influence inflammation and immune responses. Understanding these mechanisms may pave the way for more integrative treatment strategies that combine immune modulation with traditional psychiatric therapies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inflammatory Pathways in Psychiatric Disorders)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

36 pages, 2323 KiB  
Review
Role of Inflammatory Mechanisms in Major Depressive Disorder: From Etiology to Potential Pharmacological Targets
by Bruna R. Kouba, Laura de Araujo Borba, Pedro Borges de Souza, Joana Gil-Mohapel and Ana Lúcia S. Rodrigues
Cells 2024, 13(5), 423; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells13050423 - 28 Feb 2024
Cited by 40 | Viewed by 9608
Abstract
The involvement of central and peripheral inflammation in the pathogenesis and prognosis of major depressive disorder (MDD) has been demonstrated. The increase of pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-18, and TNF-α) in individuals with depression may elicit neuroinflammatory processes and peripheral inflammation, mechanisms [...] Read more.
The involvement of central and peripheral inflammation in the pathogenesis and prognosis of major depressive disorder (MDD) has been demonstrated. The increase of pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-18, and TNF-α) in individuals with depression may elicit neuroinflammatory processes and peripheral inflammation, mechanisms that, in turn, can contribute to gut microbiota dysbiosis. Together, neuroinflammation and gut dysbiosis induce alterations in tryptophan metabolism, culminating in decreased serotonin synthesis, impairments in neuroplasticity-related mechanisms, and glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity. This review aims to highlight the inflammatory mechanisms (neuroinflammation, peripheral inflammation, and gut dysbiosis) involved in the pathophysiology of MDD and to explore novel anti-inflammatory therapeutic approaches for this psychiatric disturbance. Several lines of evidence have indicated that in addition to antidepressants, physical exercise, probiotics, and nutraceuticals (agmatine, ascorbic acid, and vitamin D) possess anti-inflammatory effects that may contribute to their antidepressant properties. Further studies are necessary to explore the therapeutic benefits of these alternative therapies for MDD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inflammatory Pathways in Psychiatric Disorders)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-3
Back to TopTop