Correlation of serum inflammatory factors with clinical symptoms and cognitive functions in schizophrenia / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

ABSTRACT

【Objective】 To study the correlation of clinical symptoms and cognitive functions with serum inflammatory factors in schizophrenia. 【Methods】 A total of 42 SCz patients (case group) and 47 healthy controls (control group) were enrolled in this study. We used enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELSA) to determine six inflammatory factors in serum. PANSS was used to assess clinical symptoms and MCCB was used to assess the patients’ cognitive functions. 【Results】 ① Inflammatory factors The serum levels of IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6 and IL-8 were significantly higher in case group than in control group (P<0.01). ② Cognitive functions The scores of Trail Making Test, Hopkins Verbal Learning Test, Symbol Coding, Spatial Span, Brief Visuospatial Memory Test, Assessment Battery-Mazes, Category Fluency and Test-Managing Emotions of case group were significantly lower than those of control group (P<0.05). ③ Correlation between serum inflammatory factors and clinical symptoms There was no correlation between serum inflammatory factors and psychiatric symptoms in schizophrenia. ④ Correlation between serum inflammatory factors and cognitive functions The levels of IL-6 (rs=-0.33, P<0.05) and IL-8 (rs=-0.50, P<0.01) in case group were significantly negatively correlated with the scores of Space Scan test. 【Conclusion】 Patients with schizophrenia are presented with immune dysfunction, and the latter is correlated with cognitive impairments.