Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 18, 2026
08:04
Derivation, Expansion, Cryopreservation and Characterization of Brain Microvascular Endothelial Cells from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Published on: November 19, 2020
Neurodevelopment and inflammatory patterns in schizophrenia in relation to pathophysiology
A Carlo Altamura1, Sara Pozzoli, Alessio Fiorentini
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via F. Sforza 35, 20122, Milano, Italy. carlo.altamura@unimi.it
Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry
|October 2, 2012
Summary
Schizophrenia
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Immunology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- The etiology of schizophrenia is complex, involving genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors.
- Immune system alterations, including inflammatory cytokines, are frequently observed in schizophrenia patients.
- These immune changes suggest a role for infectious or autoimmune processes in the disorder's development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current understanding of the links between immune and inflammatory alterations in schizophrenia.
- To explore how these alterations relate to neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative, and mixed hypotheses of schizophrenia.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on schizophrenia, immune system, and inflammatory processes.
- Analysis of research connecting immune alterations to neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative theories.
- Synthesis of findings on the role of cytokines in schizophrenia pathogenesis.
Main Results:
- Schizophrenia is associated with an imbalance in inflammatory cytokines, though results are mixed.
- Immune and inflammatory system alterations appear early in schizophrenia, supporting the neurodevelopmental hypothesis.
- Evidence also supports neurodegenerative and a combined neurodevelopmental-neurodegenerative model for schizophrenia.
Conclusions:
- Immune and inflammatory dysregulation is significantly implicated in schizophrenia's etiopathogenesis.
- Understanding these connections is crucial for refining schizophrenia models and potential therapeutic targets.
- The review integrates immunological findings with existing neurobiological hypotheses of schizophrenia.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Psychosis: Pathophysiology of Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders
Schizophrenia is a neurodevelopmental disorder whose origins are rooted in complex genetic components. Despite our burgeoning understanding, the pathophysiology of this disorder remains incompletely deciphered.
Researchers have identified genetic factors that increase susceptibility to schizophrenia, underscoring the intricate interplay between genetics and environment in disease development. At the core of schizophrenia's pathophysiology is excessive dopaminergic neurotransmission within the...
Researchers have identified genetic factors that increase susceptibility to schizophrenia, underscoring the intricate interplay between genetics and environment in disease development. At the core of schizophrenia's pathophysiology is excessive dopaminergic neurotransmission within the...
01:29Biological Causes of Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia, a severe psychiatric disorder, arises from a complex interplay of biological factors, including genetic predisposition, structural brain abnormalities, neurotransmitter dysregulation, and developmental irregularities. These factors collectively contribute to the onset and progression of the disorder, which typically manifests in late adolescence or early adulthood.
Genetic Factors in Schizophrenia
The genetic basis of schizophrenia is strongly supported by family and twin studies.
Genetic Factors in Schizophrenia
The genetic basis of schizophrenia is strongly supported by family and twin studies.
01:29Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia, a complex psychiatric disorder, has been historically misunderstood. Early psychological theories attributed its origins to childhood trauma and unresponsive parenting. However, contemporary research largely rejects these notions, favoring the vulnerability-stress hypothesis. This model proposes that individuals with a genetic predisposition to schizophrenia may develop the disorder following exposure to significant environmental stressors. Notably, studies on high-risk...
01:24Parkinson Disease ll: Pathophysiology
Parkinson disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder primarily affecting movement, with additional non-motor features. Its pathophysiology involves complex interactions among genetic susceptibility, environmental exposures, and cellular dysfunction, including dopaminergic neuron loss, protein aggregation, and mitochondrial impairment.Selective NeurodegenerationA key feature is the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta, leading to reduced...
01:26Encephalitis ll: Pathophysiology
Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain parenchyma caused by direct viral invasion or immune-mediated mechanisms triggered by infections or tumors. Both processes lead to neuronal injury, disrupted neurotransmission, and diverse neurological symptoms, often with overlapping clinical and pathological features.Autoimmune EncephalitisIn autoimmune encephalitis, antibodies target neuronal antigens on cell surfaces, synapses, or within neurons. A key example is anti-NMDAR encephalitis, which can...
01:23Alzheimer Disease ll: Pathophysiology
Alzheimer disease involves structural changes in the brain that begin long before symptoms appear. The most distinctive features are extracellular neuritic plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles.Neuritic plaques form in the cerebral cortex and around blood vessels. These plaques contain a dense core of beta-amyloid (Aβ)—a toxic protein fragment that clumps outside neurons. The core is surrounded by damaged neuronal extensions, as well as reactive astrocytes and microglia. Abnormal...