An exploratory study on brain imaging and inflammatory cytokines in first-episode schizophrenia / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

ABSTRACT

Objective: To analyze the differences in low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) between patients with schizophrenia (SC) and healthy controls so as to further explore the pathogenesis of schizophrenia by correlating with clinical symptoms and inflammatory cytokines. Methods: We recruited 38 SC patients and 35 demographically matched healthy subjects. Serum levels of inflammatory cytokines were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Clinical symptoms were assessed by the Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS). After high-resolution fMRI scanning, data processing and analysis for brain imaging (DPABI) was used to find potential differences in fALFF between the two groups. A Pearson correlation model was used to analyze the associations of functional changes with clinical symptoms and inflammatory cytokines. DPABI software and SPSS 22.0 software were used for data analysis and GRF (P<0.05) theory for multiple comparison correction. Results: ① Compared to the healthy controls, SC patients had significantly increased fALFF values in the bilateral putamen and the right cingulum, but decreased fALFF values in the left precuneus and the left superior frontal gyrus. ② The levels of TNF-α, CCL2, IL-β, IL-4, IL-6 and IL-8 were significantly higher in SC group than in the control group (z=-3.301, P=0.001; z=-3.053, P=0.002; z=-5.429, P<0.001; z=-6.562, P<0.001; z=-4.537, P<0.001; z=-2.153, P=0.031). ③ The fALFF values of the left putamen of SC group were significantly correlated with the total scores of PANSS (Left r=0.409, P=0.025; Right r=0.428, P=0.019). The fALFF values of the left precuneus of SC group were significantly correlated with the levels of IL-4 (r=-0.412, P=0.026); the fALFF values of right cingulum of SC group were significantly correlated with the levels of TNF-α (r=0.392, P=0.035). Conclusion: Abnormalities in inflammatory cytokines and partial brain regions are found in SC patients. More importantly, the left putamen and the right cingulum are associated with disease symptoms and inflammatory cytokines, suggesting that these regions play an important role in the pathogenesis of SC.