Schizophrenia is a neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by various symptoms including autonomic imbalance. These disturbances involve almost all autonomic functions and might contribute to poor medication compliance, worsened quality of life and increased mortality. Therefore, it has a great importance to find a potential therapeutic
solution to improve the autonomic disturbances. The altered level of kynurenines (e.g.,
kynurenic acid), as
tryptophan metabolites, is almost the most consistently found biochemical abnormality in
schizophrenia.
Kynurenic acid influences different types of receptors, most of them involved in the pathophysiology of
schizophrenia. Only few data suggest that kynurenines might have effects on multiple autonomic functions. Publications so far have discussed the implication of kynurenines and the alteration of the autonomic nervous system in
schizophrenia independently from each other. Thus, the coupling between them has not yet been addressed in
schizophrenia, although their direct common points, potential interfaces indicate the consideration of their interaction. The present review gathers autonomic disturbances, the impaired
kynurenine pathway in
schizophrenia, and the effects of
kynurenine pathway on autonomic functions. In the last part of the review, the potential interaction between the two systems in
schizophrenia, and the possible therapeutic options are discussed.