Neuroinflammation in psychiatric pathology

A growing body of evidence implicates neuroinflammatory processes in depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. Elevated peripheral inflammatory markers (CRP, IL-6, TNF-alpha), microglial activation on PET imaging, and blood-brain barrier disruption have been observed in patient subgroups. However, it remains unclear whether neuroinflammation is a cause, consequence, or epiphenomenon of psychiatric illness. Anti-inflammatory trials (NSAIDs, cytokine inhibitors, minocycline) show mixed results, likely due to patient heterogeneity and imprecise immune phenotyping.