Cited by 733Tryptophan and brain disordersNeuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration MechanismsStress Responses and Cortisol

Neuroinflammation and psychiatric illness

Open access
Najjar, Souhel, Pearlman, Daniel M, Alper, Kenneth, Najjar, Amanda, Devinsky, Orrin·2013·Journal of Neuroinflammation

Abstract

Multiple lines of evidence support the pathogenic role of neuroinflammation in psychiatric illness. While systemic autoimmune diseases are well-documented causes of neuropsychiatric disorders, synaptic autoimmune encephalitides with psychotic symptoms often go under-recognized. Parallel to the link between psychiatric symptoms and autoimmunity in autoimmune diseases, neuroimmunological abnormalities occur in classical psychiatric disorders (for example, major depressive, bipolar, schizophrenia, and obsessive-compulsive disorders). Investigations into the pathophysiology of these conditions traditionally stressed dysregulation of the glutamatergic and monoaminergic systems, but the mechanisms causing these neurotransmitter abnormalities remained elusive. We review the link between autoimmunity and neuropsychiatric disorders, and the human and experimental evidence supporting the pathogenic role of neuroinflammation in selected classical psychiatric disorders. Understanding how psychosocial, genetic, immunological and neurotransmitter systems interact can reveal pathogenic clues and help target new preventive and symptomatic therapies.

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Crossref · 10.1186/1742-2094-10-43

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  • Glucocorticoid desensitization dampens the immune system's response to cortisol, leading to elevated peripheral pro-inflammatory factors (TNF, IL-17, IL-1β, IL-6) and sustained neuroinflammation marked by chronic microglial and astrocyte activation.

    “This desensitization dampens the immune system’s response to cortisol, ultimately leading to elevated peripheral pro-inflammatory factors (e.g., TNF, IL-17, IL-1β, IL-6) and sustained neuroinflammation, marked by chronic microglial and astrocyte activation [29,31,32,33,34].”

    From Comparative Analysis of HPA-Axis Dysregulation and Dynamic Molecular Mechanisms in Acute Versus Chronic Social Defeat Stress (2025) · cites this paper as [32]

    Split into 2 atoms — 0 confirmed, 2 partially supported, 0 disputed, 0 misattributed, 0 unverifiable. Expand the claim to see per-atom verdicts.

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  • Various neurological and psychiatric diseases have been associated with neuroinflammation in some post-mortem studies.

    “As various neurological and psychiatric diseases have been associated with neuroinflammation in some post-mortem studies,183, 184, 185”

    From Markers of microglia in post-mortem brain samples from patients with Alzheimer’s disease: a systematic review (2018) · cites this paper as [184]

    The Review section ('Psychiatric disorders associated with innate inflammation'; page unavailable) reports post-mortem evidence of inflammatory changes in depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia, while noting mixed findings. The passages support the psychiatric-disease portion, but do not establish the claim about neurological diseases in post-mortem studies. (LLM, conf=0.84)

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  • The interaction between innate and adaptive immune systems and neurotransmitters emerged as a mechanism underpinning mood disorders, psychosis, and anxiety disorders.

    “The interaction between innate and adaptive immune systems and neurotransmitters emerged as a mechanism underpinning mood disorders, psychosis, and anxiety disorders (Najjar et al., 2013).”

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2 of the 265 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. Najjar S Pearlman D Devinsky O Najjar A Nadkarni S Butler T Zagzag D Neuropsychiatric autoimmune encephalitis with negative VGKC-complex, NMDAR, and GAD autoantibodies: a case report and literature review, forthcoming Cogn Behav Neurol in press 23538571
  2. Rodríguez AD González PA García MJ de la Rosa A Vargas M Marrero F Circadian variations in proinflammatory cytokine concentrations in acute myocardial infarction Rev Esp Cardiol 2003 56 555 560 12783730

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Authors
Najjar, S., Pearlman, D. M., Alper, K., Najjar, A., & Devinsky, O.
Affiliations
  • NYU Langone Health (US)
  • Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice (US)
Corresponding author
Najjar, Souhel
Venue
Journal of Neuroinflammation
Published
2013-04-01
Volume
10
Issue
1
Pages
43-43
ISSN
1742-2094 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2097086441
Cited by
733
References
265
Citations by year
2026: 28 · 2025: 59 · 2024: 73 · 2023: 56 · 2022: 74 · 2021: 65 · 2020: 54 · 2019: 57 · 2018: 67 · 2017: 54 · 2016: 53 · 2015: 46 · 2014: 36 · 2013: 10
FWCI
3.15
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Neuroinflammation (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Biological Psychiatry › Tryptophan and brain disorders
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
Keywords
neuroinflammation, mental illness, autoimmunity, psychosis, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, glutamatergic system, monoaminergic systems, neurotransmitter dysregulation, neuroimmunology
MeSH terms
Animals, Autoimmune Diseases, Mental Disorders, Humans, Inflammation, Autoimmunity

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