Cross-disorder insights into neuroinflammation and executive function deficits in psychiatry, epilepsy, and HIV-associated neurocognitive decline

Research on neuroinflammatory processes has revolutionized our understanding of the pathophysiology underlying a range of neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders, notably in psychiatric illnesses, epilepsy, and HIV-associated neurocognitive decline (HAND). In these populations, chronic neuroinflammation is increasingly recognized for its pervasive role in disrupting cognitive and executive functions, manifesting as memory impairment, attentional deficits, behavioral changes, and altered consciousness. Recent studies have shown that both peripheral and central inflammatory markers, such as cytokines and chemokines, can breach the blood-brain barrier, especially at vulnerable sites like the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus, initiating a cascade of cellular events that reshape neuronal and glial networks. Despite significant advancements, challenges remain in disentangling the precise cellular, molecular, and systems-level pathways by which neuroinflammation contributes to cognitive decline, with particular debates centering on the differential and shared mechanisms across psychiatric conditions, epilepsy, and HAND.Contemporary evidence highlights that inflammatory mediators, once inside the central nervous system, alter glial, astrocytic, and microglial function, leading to both structural and functional disruptions. For example, in psychiatric disorders, fluctuating levels of leukotrienes and cytokines intersect with stress-related and executive networks; in epilepsy, neuroinflammatory responses after injury or infection drive recurrent seizures; and in HAND, viral invasion sustains excitotoxic and neurodegenerative processes. Multimodal neuroimaging and peripheral biomarker assessments have begun to link these inflammation-driven changes to specific neurocognitive and behavioral deficits, yet there is a critical need for more integrative and comparative data to delineate common and unique features of neuroinflammation across these disorders and to inform precision treatment approaches.This Research Topic aims to consolidate and advance our knowledge of how neuroinflammatory processes influence executive function in psychiatry, epilepsy, and HIV-associated neurocognitive decline. By fostering cross-disciplinary dialogue and integrating evidence from structural and functional neuroimaging, molecular profiling, and cognitive-behavioral assessment, this topic seeks to clarify convergent and divergent neuroimmune mechanisms underlying executive dysfunction. Ultimately, the goal is to identify transferable insights and therapeutic targets that may guide the development of novel intervention strategies tailored to the neuroinflammatory signatures of each condition.To gather further insights into the interrelations between neuroinflammatory mechanisms and cognitive function across these populations, we welcome contributions that explore, but are not limited to, the following themes:- Comparative neuroimaging studies (structural and functional) elucidating neuroinflammation-related brain alterations- Peripheral and central biomarkers of inflammation and their links to neural circuit dysfunction- Mechanistic studies on glial, astrocytic, and microglial activation in executive networks- The interplay of gut-brain axis, blood-brain barrier permeability, and neuroinflammation- Translational research focused on inflammation-based interventions and their cognitive and neural outcomes- Reviews and meta-analyses synthesizing current understanding of neuroinflammatory processes in relation to executive dysfunction across disordersWe invite submissions of original research, reviews, methodological innovations, and translational studies that collectively advance the field’s understanding of neuroinflammation and executive dysfunction in these interconnected domains. Topic editors: Samantha Jane Brooks, Kevin G. F. Thomas Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/76816/cross-disorder-insights-into-neuroinflammation-and-executive-function-deficits-in-psychiatry-epilepsy-and-hiv-associated-neurocognitive-decline