Inflammation

Inflammation is a coordinated biological response of the immune system to injury, infection, or perceived threat, designed to protect the body and restore balance. It involves signaling molecules (such as cytokines), immune cells, and changes in blood flow that help contain harm, clear damaged cells or pathogens, and support repair. In the context of serious mental illness (SMI), inflammation is increasingly understood not only as a response to physical injury, but as part of the body’s broader stress and defense system. Signals of psychological stress, trauma, or ongoing strain can engage the same inflammatory pathways, particularly in the brain and nervous system. When this response becomes chronic or dysregulated, it may begin to affect mood, cognition, energy, and perception — contributing to the onset, severity, or persistence of psychiatric symptoms.