Schizophrenia may be associated with inflammatory reactions and C-reactive protein (CRP) is a nonspecific serum protein marker for persisting inflammatory states.
Schizophrenia may be associated with inflammatory reactions and C-reactive protein (CRP) is a nonspecific serum protein marker for persisting inflammatory states.
To investigate association of the CRPrs1417938, rs1800947, rs1205 variants with susceptibility to schizophrenia 208 unrelated Armenians (103 patients and 105 healthy controls) were genotyped.
We also find CRP levels highly elevated in SZ, BP and the mothers of BP cases, in agreement with existing literature, but possibly confounded by our inability to correct for smoking or body mass index.
Genetic overlap of MDD and subtypes with psychiatric (MDD, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia) and metabolic (body mass index (BMI), C-reactive protein, triglycerides) traits was evaluated via genomic profile risk scores (GPRS) generated from meta-analysis results of large international consortia.
Baseline median CRP differed significantly between mental disorders (P=0.01) being highest in individuals with bipolar disorder (3.5mg/L) (particularly during manic states, 3.9mg/L), followed by schizophrenia (3.1mg/L), and depression (2.8mg/L), while baseline WBC count did not differ (median 7.1×10<sup>9</sup>/L).
Under mendelian randomization assumptions, our findings suggest a protective effect of CRP and a risk-increasing effect of sIL-6R (potentially mediated at least in part by CRP) on schizophrenia risk.
In this paper, we will first summarize the findings on immune dysfunction in schizophrenia, including (1) genetic, prenatal, and premorbid immune risk factors and (2) immune markers across the clinical course of the disorder, including cytokines; C-reactive protein; immune cells; antibodies, autoantibodies and comorbid autoimmune disorders; complement; oxidative stress; imaging of neuroinflammation; infections; and clinical trials of anti-inflammatory agents and immunotherapy.
Compared with non-schizophrenics, blood CRP levels were moderately increased in people with SZ (SMD 0.53, 95% CI 0.30 to 0.76) irrespective of study region, sample size of included studies, patient mean age, age of SZ onset and patient body mass index.
Altogether, the present results suggest that c-birth is associated with lower premorbid intellectual functioning and lower blood CRP levels in schizophrenia.
The finding of our meta-analysis has identified significantly altered maternal CRP and cytokine concentrations in schizophrenia, strengthening evidence of maternal immune system dysregulation in neuropsychiatric disorders where inflammatory signals dominate.