A study carried out using data from more than 7,000 patients by the academic research center dedicated to the advancement of scientific knowledge in the field of psychiatric disorders SINAPS, in partnership with the FondaMental Foundation (France), sheds new light on the role of inflammation in severe psychiatric disorders. This work highlights new avenues for personalizing the care of patients suffering from depression, schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Press release.
About a third of people with severe psychiatric disorders (such as treatment-resistant depression, schizophrenia, or bipolar disorder) have chronic, low-grade inflammation. This biological phenomenon is associated with more severe forms of the disease and a poorer response to treatments.
A biological marker present in a third of patients
Published in the international scientific journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity (1), this research is based on the national FACE (FondaMental Advanced Centers of Expertise) cohorts of the FondaMental Foundation. It brings together patients suffering from resistant depression, schizophrenia or bipolar disorders in order to better understand the common factors associated with this chronic inflammation. The results show that approximately 30% of patients, regardless of psychiatric diagnosis, have elevated levels of CRP (C-Reactive Protein), a blood biomarker indicative of chronic low-grade inflammation.
The researchers also used several robust statistical methods (penalized logistic regression, random forests and unsupervised classification) to identify the main factors associated with this low-grade chronic inflammation:
- Overweight and obesity, by far the most significant factors,
- Metabolic imbalances, particularly cholesterol,
- Smoking and nicotine addiction.
These factors linked to lifestyle and metabolic health, well known in cardiovascular health, therefore also play a key role in the inflammation associated with the psychiatric disorders studied.
However, the study shows that factors linked to chronic inflammation differ by gender. In women, inflammation is mainly associated with being overweight and metabolic disorders. Another biomarker, uric acid, also appears to be involved. Among men, the situation is more varied, but smoking appears to be a particularly important factor.
“Understanding not only whether a patient has an inflammatory component, but also the mechanisms underlying it, allows us to combine traditional treatments with early interventions targeting metabolic health, lifestyle habits or other contributing factors, to improve recovery and overall prognosis. » Tim Rietberg, Doctoral student at the University of Antwerp (SINAPS), member of the board of directors of Uilenspiegel vzw and Psyche vzw.
What are the prospects for patients?
These results call for more personalized care, which uses CRP no longer as a simple general indicator, but as a first warning signal to guide targeted actions. In addition to standard treatments (psychotropic medications and psychotherapy), this could include lifestyle interventions (diet, physical activity, smoking cessation) or treatments specifically directed against inflammation and/or metabolic abnormalities.
This research work constitutes an important step towards precision psychiatry, adapted to individual characteristics. The authors now call for prospective studies to assess the impact of these targeted interventions on inflammation.
“Precision psychiatry allows us to move away from a standardized approach. By identifying biomarkers such as CRP, we will be able to better characterize patients and adapt treatments to their individual profile, in order to improve the progression of severe psychiatric disorders. » Prof. Livia de Picker, Assistant Professor in Clinical Immunopsychiatry, University Psychiatric Hospital of Duffel & University of Antwerp.
À propos de SINAPS (Scientific Initiative for Neuropsychiatric and Psychopharmacological Studies)
SINAPS est un centre de recherche académique dédié à l’avancement des connaissances scientifiques dans le domaine des troubles psychiatriques. Il a été fondé grâce à une collaboration entre le Centre psychiatrique universitaire de Duffel et l’Université d’Anvers. SINAPS mène des recherches cliniques et translationnelles sur les troubles de santé mentale, dans le but de mieux comprendre les mécanismes biologiques et cliniques sous-jacents et, à terme, d’améliorer la qualité de vie des personnes présentant des vulnérabilités psychiatriques.Plus d’informations sur SINAPS Duffel
1 – Tim Rietberg et al. From non-specific biomarker to targeted action: transdiagnostic and sex-specific drivers of high-CRP status in severe mental illness across the FondaMental Advanced Centers of Expertise (FACE) cohorts, Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 2026. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2026.106464
