Role of Inflammation in Psychiatric Disease

Abstract This chapter is built on increasing evidence that individuals diagnosed with a wide range of currently recognized psychiatric diseases show significant increases in peripheral inflammatory biomarkers and CNS markers of immune activation, while simultaneously evincing reduced effectiveness of immune elements important for protection against pathogens. From this foundational assumption, a number of central unanswered questions regarding the relationship of immunity to emotional and cognitive functioning and behavior are explored. Tentative conclusions are reached that in addition to being impacted by mental events, immune activity may contribute to the development of a wide range of psychiatric disorders, and may tend to promote different disorders at different stages of the life course.