Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34511126›Full record

ArticleJournal of neuroinflammation2021

Kynurenine pathway in post-mortem prefrontal cortex and cerebellum in schizophrenia: relationship with monoamines and symptomatology.

Amira Ben Afia, Èlia Vila, Karina S MacDowell, Aida Ormazabal, Juan C Leza, Josep M Haro, Rafael Artuch, Belén Ramos, Borja Garcia-Bueno

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of neuroinflammation, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
0.9field-weighted citation impact, top 33% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

10 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 18 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Changes in schizophrenia symptoms, tryptophan metabolism, neuroinflammation and the GABA-glutamate loop: A pilot study.The South African journal of psychiatry : SAJP : the journal of the Society of Psychiatrists of South Africa · 2025
    Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Genetic polymorphism and neuroanatomical changes in schizophrenia.Romanian journal of morphology and embryology = Revue roumaine de morphologie et embryologie
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 5 institutions in 2 countries.

Amira Ben Afia *Laboratory of Genetics, Biodiversity and Bioresource Valorization, Higher Institute of Biotechnology of Monastir, University of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia.
Èlia Vila *Psiquiatria Molecular, Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Dr. Antoni Pujadas, 42, 08830 Sant Boi de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
Karina S MacDowellDepartamento de Farmacología y Toxicología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Neuroquímica UCM, Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
Aida OrmazabalClinical Chemistry Department, Institut de recerca Sant Joan de Déu and CIBERER-ISCIII, Passeig Sant Joan de Déu, 2. 08950, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
Juan C LezaDepartamento de Farmacología y Toxicología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Neuroquímica UCM, Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
Josep M HaroCentro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, CIBERSAM (Biomedical Network Research Center of Mental Health), Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
Rafael ArtuchClinical Chemistry Department, Institut de recerca Sant Joan de Déu and CIBERER-ISCIII, Passeig Sant Joan de Déu, 2. 08950, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
Belén Ramos *Psiquiatria Molecular, Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Dr. Antoni Pujadas, 42, 08830 Sant Boi de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain. belen.ramos@sjd.es.
Borja Garcia-Bueno *Departamento de Farmacología y Toxicología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Neuroquímica UCM, Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain. bgbueno@med.ucm.es.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7320-1530
Instituto de Salud Carlos III · ESUniversidad Complutense de Madrid · ESParc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu · ESUniversitat Autònoma de Barcelona · ESUniversity of Monastir · TN

Funding

Instituto de Salud Carlos III CIBERSAMInstituto de Salud Carlos III Miguel Servet (MS16/00153-CP16/00153)Instituto de Salud Carlos III (PFIS) FI19/00080Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad SAF2016-75500-R
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe cortico-cerebellar-thalamic-cortical circuit has been implicated in the emergence of psychotic symptoms in schizophrenia (SZ). The kynurenine pathway (KP) has been linked to alterations in glutamatergic and monoaminergic neurotransmission and to SZ symptomatology through the production of the metabolites quinolinic acid (QA) and kynurenic acid (KYNA).

methodsThis work describes alterations in KP in the post-mortem prefrontal cortex (PFC) and cerebellum (CB) of 15 chronic SZ patients and 14 control subjects in PFC and 13 control subjects in CB using immunoblot for protein levels and ELISA for interleukins and QA and KYNA determinations. Monoamine metabolites were analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography and SZ symptomatology was assessed by Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). The association of KP with inflammatory mediators, monoamine metabolism and SZ symptomatology was explored.

resultsIn the PFC, the presence of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 together with IDO2 and KATII enzymes decreased in SZ, while TDO and KMO enzyme expression increased. A network interaction analysis showed that in the PFC IL-10 was coupled to the QA branch of the kynurenine pathway (TDO-KMO-QA), whereas IL-10 associated with KMO in CB. KYNA in the CB inversely correlated with negative and general PANSS psychopathology. Although there were no changes in monoamine metabolite content in the PFC in SZ, a network interaction analysis showed associations between dopamine and methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol degradation metabolite. Direct correlations were found between general PANSS psychopathology and the serotonin degradation metabolite, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid. Interestingly, KYNA in the CB inversely correlated with 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid in the PFC.

conclusionsThus, this work found alterations in KP in two brain areas belonging to the cortico-cerebellar-thalamic-cortical circuit associated with SZ symptomatology, with a possible impact across areas in 5-HT degradation.

Indexed as

KynurenineSchizophreniaCerebellumHumansKynurenic AcidPrefrontal CortexKynurenic AcidKynurenine5-Hydroxyindoleacetic acidCortico-cerebellar-thalamic-cortical circuitKynurenine pathwayMonoamine oxidase APANSS scaleSchizophrenia

Identifiers

PMID34511126
PMCPMC8436477
OpenAlexW3200107789

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.