{"title":"PET Imaging Unveils Neuroinflammatory Mechanisms in Psychiatric Disorders: From Microglial Activation to Therapeutic Innovation.","authors":"Yu-Dan Liu, Yi-Heng Chang, Xue-Ting Xie, Xin-Yao Wang, Hao-Yan Ma, Mei-Chen Liu, Hui-Min Zhang","doi":"10.1007/s12035-025-05177-w","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Recent advancements in neuroinflammation research have significantly enhanced our understanding of its pivotal role in the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders. Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, leveraging its unique ability to quantify biological processes in vivo non-invasively, has emerged as a transformative tool for investigating neuroimmune mechanisms. The 18 kDa translocator protein (TSPO), a biomarker of activated microglia and astrocytes during neuroinflammation, enables PET-based visualization of neuroinflammatory activity, offering novel insights into the neurobiological underpinnings of psychiatric conditions. This review synthesizes recent TSPO PET imaging findings across major psychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder (MDD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, and psychosis. We critically evaluate how TSPO PET elucidates neuroinflammatory signatures linked to disease progression, treatment responses, and therapeutic stratification. Furthermore, we explore the translational potential of anti-inflammatory agents (e.g., celecoxib and minocycline) and TSPO-targeted ligands (e.g., etifoxine and XBD173) in modulating neurosteroid synthesis and neuroimmune interactions. By bridging methodological innovations with clinical applications, this review underscores the promise of TSPO PET in advancing diagnostic precision, personalized treatment strategies, and mechanistic insights into neuroinflammation-driven psychiatric pathologies. Challenges such as genetic polymorphisms (e.g., rs6971), partial volume effects (PVEs), and quantification biases are discussed to guide future research directions.</p>","PeriodicalId":18762,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Neurobiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.6000,"publicationDate":"2025-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Molecular Neurobiology","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12035-025-05177-w","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"NEUROSCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Recent advancements in neuroinflammation research have significantly enhanced our understanding of its pivotal role in the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders. Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, leveraging its unique ability to quantify biological processes in vivo non-invasively, has emerged as a transformative tool for investigating neuroimmune mechanisms. The 18 kDa translocator protein (TSPO), a biomarker of activated microglia and astrocytes during neuroinflammation, enables PET-based visualization of neuroinflammatory activity, offering novel insights into the neurobiological underpinnings of psychiatric conditions. This review synthesizes recent TSPO PET imaging findings across major psychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder (MDD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, and psychosis. We critically evaluate how TSPO PET elucidates neuroinflammatory signatures linked to disease progression, treatment responses, and therapeutic stratification. Furthermore, we explore the translational potential of anti-inflammatory agents (e.g., celecoxib and minocycline) and TSPO-targeted ligands (e.g., etifoxine and XBD173) in modulating neurosteroid synthesis and neuroimmune interactions. By bridging methodological innovations with clinical applications, this review underscores the promise of TSPO PET in advancing diagnostic precision, personalized treatment strategies, and mechanistic insights into neuroinflammation-driven psychiatric pathologies. Challenges such as genetic polymorphisms (e.g., rs6971), partial volume effects (PVEs), and quantification biases are discussed to guide future research directions.
期刊介绍:
Molecular Neurobiology is an exciting journal for neuroscientists needing to stay in close touch with progress at the forefront of molecular brain research today. It is an especially important periodical for graduate students and "postdocs," specifically designed to synthesize and critically assess research trends for all neuroscientists hoping to stay active at the cutting edge of this dramatically developing area. This journal has proven to be crucial in departmental libraries, serving as essential reading for every committed neuroscientist who is striving to keep abreast of all rapid developments in a forefront field. Most recent significant advances in experimental and clinical neuroscience have been occurring at the molecular level. Until now, there has been no journal devoted to looking closely at this fragmented literature in a critical, coherent fashion. Each submission is thoroughly analyzed by scientists and clinicians internationally renowned for their special competence in the areas treated.