In recent years the conception that neuroinflammation plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of a number of neurodegenerative diseases has been extended to even archetypal endogenous psychoses, namely mood disorder and schizophrenia. The neuroinflammation associated with these neuropsychiatric diseases is revealed by increased levels of inflammatory mediators, including cytokines, in the peripheral blood and by abnormal glial activation in the diseased CNS. Accumulating evidence indicates that psychopharmaceuticals such as the antidepressants, antipsychotics and cannabinoids have potency to attenuate neuroinflammation. Accordingly, the efficacy of these psychotropics may be partially attributable to suppression of neuroinflammation. In fact, agents that possess anti-inflammatory properties such as the cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor celecoxib [1] and omega-3 fatty acids [2] have been reported to have beneficial effects in mood disorder and schizophrenia. This mini-hot topic issue has collected 4 expert mini-reviews on this theme.
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