title: Altered interleukin-18 levels are associated with cognitive impairment in chronic schizophrenia.
abstract: The pathophysiology of cognitive deficits in schizophrenia may involve the neuroinflammation mediated by cytokines. This study examined the IL-18 levels, the cognitive function, and their association in schizophrenia. We recruited 70 chronic patients and 75 normal controls and examined the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) and IL-18 levels. Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was assessed in chronic patients. IL-18 levels were increased in chronic patients as compared to normal controls (p < 0.01). RBANS total score and the subscales of immediate memory and delayed memory were lower in patients than controls (all p < 0.001). In patients, IL-18 levels were positively associated with RBANS total score and the subscales of immediate and delayed memory (all p < 0.05). Multiple regression analysis further confirmed that IL-18 was an independent contributor to RBANS total score and the aforementioned two indexes (all p < 0.05). Our data demonstrate that immune responses may play an important role in cognitive deficits in schizophrenia and the abnormal levels of IL-18 reflecting the disturbed balance of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory mechanisms may be relevant to cognitive deficits of this disorder.
authors: School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health, The University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia; Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney, Australia; Psychiatry Research Center, Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors: Jing Qin
authors: JQ
authors: Wu
authors: Psychiatry Research Center, Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors: Da Chun
authors: DC
authors: Chen
authors: Psychiatry Research Center, Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors: Yun Long
authors: YL
authors: Tan
authors: Psychiatry Research Center, Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors: Shu Ping
authors: SP
authors: Tan
authors: Psychiatry Research Center, Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors: Mei Hong
authors: MH
authors: Xiu
authors: Psychiatry Research Center, Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors: Zhi Ren
authors: ZR
authors: Wang
authors: Psychiatry Research Center, Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors: Fu De
authors: FD
authors: Yang
authors: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
authors: Jair C
authors: JC
authors: Soares
authors: Psychiatry Research Center, Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA. Electronic address: zhangxy9@gmail.com.
authors: Xiang Yang
authors: XY
authors: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D013223:Statistics as Topic
chemical_list: D020382:Interleukin-18
keywords: Behavior; Biological psychiatry; Cytokines; Neuropsychiatry; Schizophrenia