MDSpire - Takeaway

Peripheral immune and kynurenine profiles are associated with cognitive change during early treatment of first-episode schizophrenia

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  • 1

    Antipsychotic-naïve first-episode schizophrenia patients exhibited significant cognitive impairment at baseline, improving by week 6 and month 6.

  • 2

    Baseline assessments revealed a neurotoxic kynurenine pathway profile and heightened inflammation in first-episode schizophrenia patients.

  • 3

    Cognitive performance improvements correlated with shifts in kynurenine pathway metabolites rather than broad inflammatory or immune-cell changes.

  • 4

    Higher inflammation and monocyte burden were associated with lower cognitive scores, while protective kynurenine profiles linked to better cognition.

  • 5

    The study highlights the importance of peripheral biomarkers in understanding cognitive dysfunction and treatment responses in schizophrenia.

Original Source(s)

Peripheral immune and kynurenine profiles are associated with cognitive change during early treatment of first-episode schizophrenia

  • by Jin-lei Tang, Fan-Fan Xu, Lian Wu

  • March 25, 2026

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