Anti-Inflammatory Diets and Schizophrenia

Abstract

Schizophrenia is a mental illness characterized by symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech, disorganized or catatonic behavior, and negative symptoms (emotional flatness, apathy, and lack of speech). It causes social and economic burdens to patients and their family. Although etiology of schizophrenia is still uncertain, dopamine dysregulation is traditionally considered as a main etiological factor of schizophrenia, which has been utilized to develop drugs for treating schizophrenia. Recently, inflammation has presented being a risk factor for schizophrenia in that neuroinflammation contributes to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and the exacerbation of symptom severity. Various factors including diet can regulate inflammatory state. Specific foods or dietary patterns have anti- or pro-inflammatory potentials. Increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and microglia activation have been reported in schizophrenia populations and were related to the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. Omega-3 fatty acids were often recommended to schizophrenia patients because of their anti-inflammatory activities. In this review, we investigate the inflammation-related pathogenesis of schizophrenia and summarize potential nutritional approaches to inhibit the manifestation of symptoms and to alleviate symptom severity using anti-inflammatory nutrients or functional components.

Nutrition, nutritional deficiencies, and schizophrenia: An association worthy of constant reassessment

“…Gut dysbiosis has been reported in persons with schizophrenia, with reports that increase in the Succinivibrio and Corynebacterium bacterial genera exacerbated schizophrenia symptom severity[ 73 ]. Gut dysbiosis also increases susceptibility to infections and inflammation[ 74 ]. However, direct proof that diet-induced change in gut microbiota may be a direct cause of schizophrenia symptoms is harder to obtain.…”

“…Studies have reported that diets that are low in anti-inflammatory or rich in pro-inflammatory factors (omega-6 fatty acids are pro-inflammatory in contrast to omega-3 fatty acids that are anti-inflammatory) activate or worsen neuroinflammation, and if left uncontrolled, can induce pathologic changes of schizophrenia and exacerbate schizophrenia symptom severity[ 74 , 76 ]. Exposure to diets rich in gluten has been associated with an increase in the expression of human leukocyte antigen markers, which increase cells susceptible to attacks by T-cells, allowing the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines.…”

Towards Tailored Gut Microbiome-Based and Dietary Interventions for Promoting the Development and Maintenance of a Healthy Brain

“…By contrast, although clinical trials have not yet evaluated the beneficial impact of the Mediterranean diet or other healthy life-style factors for SZ, some researchers hypothesize that they could improve metabolic and other disease outcomes related to premature mortality in SZ (159). Some nutritional deficiencies have been proposed to play a role in the etiopathogenic mechanisms of SZ, and particular dietary interventions have been proposed to reverse the SZassociated neurobiological changes established in the early phases, at least for certain cohorts of SZ patients (160). Regarding nutritional deficiencies, evidence has shown that PUFAs deficits are associated with both negative and positive symptoms of SZ.…”

“…Some nutritional deficiencies have been proposed to play a role in the etiopathogenic mechanisms of SZ, and particular dietary interventions have been proposed to reverse the SZ-associated neurobiological changes established in the early phases, at least for certain cohorts of SZ patients ( 160 ). Regarding nutritional deficiencies, evidence has shown that PUFAs deficits are associated with both negative and positive symptoms of SZ.…”

“…Furthermore, a low dietary intake of vitamin C, which has important anti-oxidative properties, has also been associated with an increased risk of SZ, while vitamin C has been linked to the significant improvement of several SZ-related psychiatric scores ( 169 , 170 ). Taking into account all the aforementioned evidence, diet should be considered as one of the most crucial factors for the clinical management of SZ patients ( 160 ).…”