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Review
. 2022 Sep;272(6):929-945.
doi: 10.1007/s00406-021-01334-z. Epub 2021 Sep 30.

The role of microglia in neuropsychiatric disorders and suicide

Ralf Brisch  1 , Szymon Wojtylak  2 , Arthur Saniotis  3   4 , Johann Steiner  5 , Tomasz Gos  1 , Jaliya Kumaratilake  6 , Maciej Henneberg  6   7 , Rainer Wolf  8
Affiliations
Review

The role of microglia in neuropsychiatric disorders and suicide

Ralf Brisch et al. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2022 Sep.

Abstract

This narrative review examines the possible role of microglial cells, first, in neuroinflammation and, second, in schizophrenia, depression, and suicide. Recent research on the interactions between microglia, astrocytes and neurons and their involvement in pathophysiological processes of neuropsychiatric disorders is presented. This review focuses on results from postmortem, positron emission tomography (PET) imaging studies, and animal models of schizophrenia and depression. Third, the effects of antipsychotic and antidepressant drug therapy, and of electroconvulsive therapy on microglial cells are explored and the upcoming development of therapeutic drugs targeting microglia is described. Finally, there is a discussion on the role of microglia in the evolutionary progression of human lineage. This view may contribute to a new understanding of neuropsychiatric disorders.

Keywords: Affective disorders; Bipolar disorder; Dorsal raphe nucleus; Evolution of human lineage; Major depressive disorder; Microglia; Schizophrenia; Serotonin; Suicide.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Microglial reaction in the DRN (caudal subdivision) in suicidal depressed patient as shown by HLA-DR antigen, scale bar 50 µm
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Microglial reaction in the DRN (caudal subdivision) in non-suicidal depressed patient as shown by HLA-DR antigen, scale bar 50 µm
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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