Publication Name	World Journal of Psychiatry
Manuscript ID	115163
Country	China

Category	Psychiatry
Manuscript Type	Case Control Study
Article Title	Electroconvulsive therapy alters serum cytokine levels and correlates with symptom improvement in patients with acute schizophrenia
Manuscript Source	Unsolicited Manuscript
All Author List	Li Xu, Xiao-Bin Zhang, Ling-Shu Luan, Man Yang, Jing Zhang, Hai-Dong Yang and Xiao-Wei Tang
Funding Agency and Grant Number	Funding Agency Grant Number Suzhou Clinical Medical Center for Mood Disorders No. Szlcyxzx202109 Suzhou Key Laboratory No. SZS2024016 Suzhou Multicenter Clinical Research Project on Major Diseases No. DZXYJ202413 Guidance Project of Jiangsu Provincial Health Commission No. Z2023074 Yangzhou Basic Research Program (Joint Special Project) Health Project No. 2024-2-19
Corresponding Author	Xiao-Wei Tang, Chief Physician, MD, PhD, Department of Psychiatry, Yangzhou Wutaishan Hospital of Jiangsu Province, No. 2 Wutaishan Road, Yangzhou 225003, Jiangsu Province, China. 15062790442@163.com
Key Words	Electroconvulsive therapy; Schizophrenia; Tumor necrosis factor-α; Interleukin-8; Interleukin-18; Treatment response
Core Tip	Compared to healthy controls, acute schizophrenia patients exhibited significantly higher serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin (IL)-8 levels but lower IL-18 levels. After electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), serum IL-8 and IL-18 concentrations increased significantly, while TNF-α remained unchanged. Before ECT, TNF-α positively correlated with Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale general psychopathology scores, while IL-8 negatively correlated with negative symptom scores. After ECT, IL-8 negatively correlated with general psychopathology scores. In ECT responders, post-treatment IL-8 levels positively correlated with improvements in positive symptoms. The study suggests ECT may ameliorate clinical symptoms of acute schizophrenia by modulating inflammatory signaling pathways, particularly IL-8 signaling.
Citation	Xu L, Zhang XB, Luan LS, Yang M, Zhang J, Yang HD, Tang XW. Electroconvulsive therapy alters serum cytokine levels and correlates with symptom improvement in patients with acute schizophrenia. World J Psychiatry 2025; In press

Received	2025-10-14 01:50
Peer-Review Started	2025-10-14 01:50
First Decision by Editorial Office Director	2025-10-31 07:37
Return for Revision	2025-10-31 07:37
Revised	2025-11-09 02:06
Publication Fee Transferred	2025-11-11 11:52
Second Decision by Editor	2025-12-12 02:35
Second Decision by Editor-in-Chief
Final Decision by Editorial Office Director	2025-12-12 09:08
Articles in Press	2025-12-12 09:08
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ISSN	2220-3206 (online)
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