Psychiatric disorders (mood disorders, schizophrenia, autism, etc.) are progressive disorders that affect the central nervous system (CNS) and gradually deteriorate over time. The incidence and prevalence of these diseases have increased over the past decades, and it has become a major global health problem. The causes of these diseases remain largely unclear. Recent evidence suggests that psychiatric disorders may facilitate inflammatory reactions and cytokine alterations while inflammation could promote the development of these neuropsychiatric disorders. The possible intertwining between them may form a bidirectional loop. Cytokines are important not only for development and normal brain function, but also for the formation of neurocircuitry and neurotransmitter systems. Alteration of cytokines could be a key factor which predisposes the behavioral changes by affecting neurotransmitters, ion channels, and receptors, and vice versa. Therefore, inflammatory processes may be the key component which closely collaborates with neurotransmitter abnormality in CNS and adversely impacts brain function, leading to psychiatric disorders.

Further understanding of the role and mechanism of inflammation in the pathogenesis of these diseases may provide novel ways to develop new treatment strategies.

We invite authors to submit original research and review articles that seek to define how neuroinflammation and cytokine abnormality affect the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders and explore potential treatment strategies.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Identifying the interrelationship of cytokines and psychiatric disorders, including but not limited to depression, schizophrenia, and autism
• Identifying how the CNS residential immune cells, such as astrocytes and microglia, are regulated by neurotransmitters
• Effects of inflammatory response in CNS on the behavioral performances of psychiatric disorders
• Animal models for the investigation of the interrelationship of neuroinflammation and psychiatric disorders focusing on cytokines
• Clinical evaluation of novel and effective therapeutic strategies based on the regulation of inflammatory responses for psychiatric disorders