Research advances in the impact of childhood trauma on anhedonia in schizophrenia via immune-inflammatory pathways

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1674-8115.2026.02.013

Abstract

Abstract:

Childhood trauma serves as a significant environmental risk factor for the onset of schizophrenia, and through complex biological programming mechanisms, it increases the susceptibility of individuals to neurodevelopmental abnormalities. Anhedonia, as one of the core negative symptoms of schizophrenia, is characterized by a persistent decline in the ability to respond to pleasurable stimuli, severely affecting the social functions and long-term prognosis of patients. Recent studies have revealed that the abnormal activation of immune-inflammatory pathways may serve as a crucial intermediary link connecting childhood trauma exposure with the pathophysiological process of anhedonia in schizophrenia. Childhood trauma can lead to a systemic low-grade chronic inflammatory state by continuously activating stress- and metabolism-related physiological pathways, which in turn causes a series of immune disorders, such as elevated pro-inflammatory factors, suppressed anti-inflammatory functions, and abnormal activation of neuroimmune cells. These changes may further mediate the occurrence and development of anhedonia by affecting neural functions and circuits. This review summarizes and analyzes current research progress, systematically elaborates the impact of childhood trauma on the immune system and the potential mechanisms of anhedonia in schizophrenia, and focuses on analyzing the correlation between the two and the mediating role of immune-inflammatory factors.

Key words: childhood trauma, immune inflammation, schizophrenia, anhedonia

CLC Number:

R749.3

Liu Wenxia, Zhang Chen. Research advances in the impact of childhood trauma on anhedonia in schizophrenia via immune-inflammatory pathways[J]. Journal of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (Medical Science), 2026, 46(2): 235-240.

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References 54

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