Microglia and cognitive impairment in schizophrenia: translating scientific progress into novel therapeutic interventions

作者：Chuanjun Zhuo, Hongjun Tian, Xueqin Song, Deguo Jiang, Guangdong Chen, Ziyao Cai, Jing Ping, Langlang Cheng, Chunhua Zhou, Chunmian Chen · 发表于：Schizophrenia · 年份：2023 · DOI：10.1038/s41537-023-00370-z · 被引用次数：57 · 研究领域：Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms、Tryptophan and brain disorders、Schizophrenia research and treatment

Cognitive impairment is a core clinical feature of schizophrenia, exerting profound adverse effects on social functioning and quality of life in a large proportion of patients with schizophrenia. However, the mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of schizophrenia-related cognitive impairment are not well understood. Microglia, the primary resident macrophages in the brain, have been shown to play important roles in psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia. Increasing evidence has revealed excessive microglial activation in cognitive deficits related to a broad range of diseases and medical conditions. Relative to that about age-related cognitive deficits, current knowledge about the roles of microglia in cognitive impairment in neuropsychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, is limited, and such research is in its infancy. Thus, we conducted this review of the scientific literature with a focus on the role of microglia in schizophrenia-associated cognitive impairment, aiming to gain insight into the roles of microglial activation in the onset and progression of such impairment and to consider how scientific advances could be translated to preventive and therapeutic interventions. Research has demonstrated that microglia, especially those in the gray matter of the brain, are activated in schizophrenia. Upon activation, microglia release key proinflammatory cytokines and free radicals, which are well-recognized neurotoxic factors contributing to cognitive decline. Thu...