Neuroinflammation and psychotic disorders: mechanisms, biomarkers, and treatment targets

Neuropsychiatric research increasingly recognizes neuroinflammation as a critical mechanism underlying psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and first-episode psychosis. Evidence from genetics, transcriptomics, neuroimaging, and peripheral immune profiling highlights the involvement of immune-related processes, particularly microglial activation, cytokine imbalance, blood-brain barrier dysfunction, and aberrant complement-mediated synaptic pruning, in shaping disease onset, cognitive impairment, and treatment resistance. These findings suggest that immune dysregulation is not merely a secondary phenomenon but a driving factor in illness progression. However, despite the surge of recent discoveries, the exact temporal dynamics, causal mechanisms, and the translational potential of immune signals remain incompletely understood. The integration of neurobiological, immunological, and clinical evidence offers a timely opportunity to bridge mechanistic insights with novel therapeutic avenues in psychosis research.This Research Topic aims to advance understanding of how immune and inflammatory processes contribute to the pathophysiology of psychotic disorders, with a particular focus on mechanistic pathways, biomarkers, and treatment innovations. It seeks to clarify the relationship between neuroinflammation and symptom dimensions, elucidate immune-related risk factors from early development through adulthood, and explore novel therapeutic interventions targeting immune-brain interactions. A central objective is to promote integrative models that link peripheral immune markers and central neuroinflammatory processes to cognitive outcomes, functional trajectories, and treatment response, thereby contributing to the development of precision psychiatry frameworks.To gather further insights into the intersections between neuroinflammation and psychosis, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:-Microglia, astrocytes, and complement signaling in psychosis-Peripheral and central cytokine signatures across illness stages-TSPO-PET and advanced MRI markers of neuroinflammation-Blood-brain barrier integrity, gut-brain axis, and autoimmune contributions-Maternal immune activation and neurodevelopmental risk-Inflammatory biomarkers for stratification, prognosis, and treatment response-Anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and microglia-targeted therapeutics-Inflammation-cognition links and their impact on functional outcomes-Multi-omics and computational approaches integrating immune and neural dataWe encourage submission of original research, clinical and translational studies, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and methodological papers. Submissions that bridge basic neuroimmune mechanisms with clinical application are particularly welcome, aiming to translate fundamental discoveries into practical advances for improving outcomes in psychotic disorders. Topic editors: Veronica Rivi, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Liaquat Raza Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/85212/neuroinflammation-and-psychotic-disorders-mechanisms-biomarkers-and-treatment-targets