Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 7, 2026

Experimental Infection with Listeria monocytogenes as a Model for Studying Host Interferon-γ Responses
Published on: November 16, 2016
Relationship of Interferon-γ to Cognitive Function in Midlife Women with Schizophrenia
Kathleen E Wilson1, Haley Demyanovich2, Leah H Rubin3
1Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Catonsville, MD, USA. kewilson@middlebury.edu.
Abstract:
Recent literature suggests that schizophrenia is linked to an abnormal response of the immune system. Interferon-γ is a cytokine that acts as a mediator between immune stimulation and the kynurenine pathway and may be related to cognitive abilities. The objectives of the present study are to determine if serum cytokines are correlated with cognitive function differently in patients with schizophrenia compared to controls. Fourteen midlife (30-70 year-old) females with DSM-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and 13 midlife control females were analyzed. Cytokines were collected from serum blood draws and analyzed at the Cytokine Core Lab at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. The RBANS, HVLT-R, and UPSA were performed to measure cognition and social performance. The results demonstrate a non-significant difference between interferon-γ levels in women with schizophrenia compared to controls, but this cytokine appears to correlate to cognitive abilities differently in these groups. There were several significant negative correlations between interferon-γ and cognition in midlife patients with schizophrenia, but only one in the midlife control group. The negative correlations between interferon-γ and cognition in patients with schizophrenia suggest the hypothesis that inflammation and the kynurenine pathway have important roles in this disorder.
More Related Videos
13:41Use of Interferon-γ Enzyme-linked Immunospot Assay to Characterize Novel T-cell Epitopes of Human Papillomavirus
Published on: March 8, 2012
07:26Characterizing the Relationship Between Eye Movement Parameters and Cognitive Functions in Non-demented Parkinson's Disease Patients with Eye Tracking
Published on: September 26, 2019
Related Concept Videos
Negative and Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia
Negative Symptoms
Negative symptoms of schizophrenia manifest as deficits in normal emotional and behavioral functioning, profoundly impacting daily life. Individuals with schizophrenia often display a flat affect, characterized by a near-total absence of emotional expression,...
Relationship Formation
Schizophrenia
Biological Causes of Schizophrenia
Genetic Factors in Schizophrenia
The genetic basis of schizophrenia is strongly supported by family and twin...
Cognitive Dissonance
Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia