Conclusions
In summary, this study found brain structural changes in patients with first-episode schizophrenia after short-term treatment. The cortical thickness change in patients was related to the gene expression level of inflammation, and cortical thickness in the superior parietal lobule correlated with ameliorated cognitive impairments in patients. These results provided empirical evidence of potential biological processes underlying brain structural changes and suggested possible treatment targets to improve cognitive function in patients. More importantly, identified immunity-brain-behavior associations would contribute to our understanding of the pathogenesis of schizophrenia.