Zeng TF, Zhang JY, Wang XJ. Evaluation of the pathological cascade of post-subarachnoid hemorrhage anxiety and depression. World J Psychiatry 2026; 16(8): 116117 [DOI: 10.5498/wjp.v16.i8.116117]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Xue-Jian Wang, MD, PhD, Department of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital 2 of Nantong University, No. 666 Shengli Road, Chongchuan District, Nantong 226000, Jiangsu Province, China. 6841441@163.com
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Psychiatry
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letter
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Zeng TF, Zhang JY, Wang XJ. Evaluation of the pathological cascade of post-subarachnoid hemorrhage anxiety and depression. World J Psychiatry 2026; 16(8): 116117 [DOI: 10.5498/wjp.v16.i8.116117]
World J Psychiatry. Aug 19, 2026; 16(8): 116117 Published online Aug 19, 2026. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v16.i8.116117
Evaluation of the pathological cascade of post-subarachnoid hemorrhage anxiety and depression
Teng-Fei Zeng, Jing-Yuan Zhang, Xue-Jian Wang
Teng-Fei Zeng, Xue-Jian Wang, Department of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital 2 of Nantong University, Nantong 226000, Jiangsu Province, China
Jing-Yuan Zhang, Department of Nursing Studies, Xinglin College, Nantong University, Nantong 226000, Jiangsu Province, China
Xue-Jian Wang, Department of Neurosurgery, Nantong First People’s Hospital Affiliated to Southeast University, Nanjing 210000, Jiangsu Province, China
Co-first authors: Teng-Fei Zeng and Jing-Yuan Zhang.
Author contributions: Zeng TF, Zhang JY, and Wang XJ contributed to reviewing and editing the manuscript; Zeng TF and Zhang JY contributed equally to this manuscript as co-first authors; Zhang JY and Wang XJ contributed to conceptualization and original manuscript draft. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
Supported by Science and Technology Program of Nantong City, No. Key003 and No. JCZ2022040; Science and Technology Program of Nantong Health Committee, No. MA2019003, No. MA2021017, and No. MSZ2024038; and Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, No. KD2021JYYJYB025, No. KD2022KYJJZD022, No. KD2024KYJJ289, and No. KD2025JYYJZD009; Research Project on Teaching Reform of Nantong University, No. 2025J23; and Jiangsu Province Occupational Health Research Project, No. JSZJ20251217.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Corresponding author: Xue-Jian Wang, MD, PhD, Department of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital 2 of Nantong University, No. 666 Shengli Road, Chongchuan District, Nantong 226000, Jiangsu Province, China. 6841441@163.com
Received: November 2, 2025 Revised: December 14, 2025 Accepted: January 23, 2026 Published online: August 19, 2026 Processing time: 261 Days and 1.2 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: This study identified a novel pathological cascade of “cytotoxic edema - NOD-like receptor pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation - limbic-prefrontal circuit injury”, which is a key driver of anxiety and depression after subarachnoid hemorrhage. The contributions of this study are mainly reflected in threefold: (1) Quantified the time-dependent changes of emotional behavior, brain structure, and inflammatory response, among which diffusion tensor imaging parameters and cerebrospinal fluid interleukin-1β emerged as robust, objective biomarkers; (2) Confirmed that the NLRP3-interleukin-1β axis is a central regulatory node; and (3) Demonstrated translational potential: diffusion tensor imaging can be used for risk stratification, and NLRP3 inhibitors can be used as intervention methods.
