Table 2 Assessments of negative symptoms and cognitive function, and serum levels of inflammation markers

Total score of SANS

 M0

80.82 ± 19.25

84.78 ± 18.41

− 3.96 (− 11.22 to 3.30)

3.887

0.015

 M1

78.79 ± 19.52

84.60 ± 18.49

− 5.81 (− 13.14 to 1.52)

 M2

76.88 ± 19.26

85.06 ± 18.29

− 8.18 (− 15.42 to − 0.94)

 M3

75.04 ± 18.96

85.10 ± 18.66

− 10.06 (− 17.30 to − 2.82)

Total score of five global rating items of SANS

 M0

15.91 ± 4.37

16.66 ± 4.72

− 0.75 (− 1.64 to 0.14)

2.383

0.081

 M1

15.41 ± 4.41

16.54 ± 4.80

− 1.13 (− 2.90 to 0.64)

 M2

14.80 ± 4.34

16.54 ± 4.78

− 1.74 (− 3.50 to 0.02)

 M3

14.20 ± 4.32

16.52 ± 4.81

− 2.32 (− 4.07 to − 0.57)

Apathy of SANS

 M0

2.95 ± 1.47

3.18 ± 1.29

− 0.23 (− 0.76 to 0.30)

1.420

0.249

 M1

2.88 ± 1.48

3.10 ± 1.35

− 0.22 (− 0.75 to 0.31)

 M2

2.75 ± 1.44

3.08 ± 1.34

− 0.33 (− 0.87 to 0.21)

 M3

2.66 ± 1.44

3.06 ± 1.36

− 0.40 (− 0.94 to 0.14)

Poverty of thought of SANS

 M0

3.27 ± 1.34

3.40 ± 1.34

− 0.13 (− 0.64 to 0.38)

1.856

0.150

 M1

3.21 ± 1.31

3.38 ± 1.32

− 0.17 (− 0.73 to 0.39)

 M2

3.13 ± 1.27

3.42 ± 1.31

− 0.29 (− 0.78 to 0.20)

 M3

3.07 ± 1.28

3.44 ± 1.30

− 0.37 (− 0.87 to 0.13)

Abulia of SANS

 M0

3.39 ± 1.01

3.48 ± 1.12

− 0.09 (− 0.51 to 0.33)

1.371

0.263

 M1

3.29 ± 1.08

3.50 ± 1.10

− 0.21 (− 0.62 to 0.20)

 M2

3.23± 1.12

3.50 ± 1.08

− 0.27 (− 0.70 to 0.16)

 M3

3.18± 1.14

3.46 ± 1.10

− 0.28 (− 0.71 to 0.15)

Lack of interest and social interaction of SANS

 M0

3.38 ± 1.03

3.50 ± 1.10

− 0.12 (− 0.51 to 0.27)

1.449

0.241

 M1

3.27 ± 1.14

3.46 ± 1.08

− 0.19 (− 0.61 to 0.23)

 M2

3.25 ± 1.15

3.46 ± 1.02

− 0.21 (− 0.63 to 0.21)

 M3

3.21 ± 1.15

3.44 ± 1.00

− 0.23 (− 0.65 to 0.19)

Attention dysfunction of SANS

 M0

2.93 ± 1.40

3.10 ± 1.27

− 0.17 (− 0.68 to 0.34)

2.661

0.059

 M1

2.80 ± 1.32

3.10 ± 1.30

− 0.30 (− 0.81 to 0.21)

 M2

2.45 ± 1.32

3.08 ± 1.32

− 0.63 (− 1.14 to − 0.12)

 M3

2.09 ± 1.33

3.12 ± 1.29

− 1.03 (− 1.53 to − 0.53)

TMT-A, s

 M0

68.82 ± 25.35

71.74 ± 22.95

− 2.92 (− 12.27 to 6.43)

3.317

0.028

 M1

67.44 ± 26.08

71.81 ± 22.94

− 4.37 (− 13.87 to 5.13)

 M2

62.73 ± 24.47

72.39 ± 22.96

− 9.66 (− 18.81 to − 0.51)

 M3

60.67 ± 22.84

71.31 ± 23.53

− 10.64 (− 19.56 to − 1.72)

TMT-B, s

 M0

138.48 ± 51.01

138.42 ± 50.02

0.06 (− 19.54 to 19.66)

3.054

0.037

 M1

134.32 ± 50.90

137.53 ± 49.94

− 3.21 (− 22.63 to 16.21)

 M2

126.06 ± 48.89

136.00 ± 48.64

− 9.94 (− 28.92 to 9.04)

 M3

122.14 ± 47.53

135.09 ± 49.37

− 12.95 (− 31.57 to 5.67)

Time difference (TMT-B minus TMT-A), s

 M0

69.66 ± 30.63

66.68 ± 29.11

2.98 (− 8.43 to 14.39)

0.934

0.432

 M1

66.88 ± 30.10

65.72 ± 29.23

1.16 (− 10.15 to 12.47)

 M2

63.34 ± 30.32

63.61 ± 28.50

− 0.27 (− 11.53 to 10.99)

 M3

61.47 ± 30.71

63.78 ± 28.70

− 2.31 (− 13.66 to 9.04)

HVLT

 M0

20.32 ± 7.16

18.62 ± 7.54

1.70 (− 1.13 to 4.53)

0.361

0.781

 M1

20.50 ± 7.17

18.58 ± 7.56

1.92 (− 0.91 to 4.75)

 M2

20.73 ± 7.09

18.72 ± 7.75

2.01 (− 0.84 to 4.86)

 M3

20.95 ± 7.33

18.92 ± 8.01

2.03 (− 0.92 to 4.98)

IL-1β, ng/l

 M0

67.01 ± 19.94

70.46 ± 20.61

− 3.45 (− 11.25 to 4.35)

6.556

 < 0.001

 M1

61.50 ± 19.07

69.75 ± 19.97

− 8.25 (− 15.75 to − 0.75)

 M2

59.24 ± 18.56

68.65 ± 19.19

− 9.41 (− 16.67 to − 2.15)

 M3

55.52 ± 17.11

69.23 ± 19.65

− 13.71 (− 20.78 to − 6.64)

IL-6, ng/l

 M0

39.86 ± 14.86

40.98 ± 13.91

− 1.12 (− 6.64 to 4.40

8.326

 < 0.001

 M1

35.38 ± 11.67

40.77 ± 12.57

− 5.39 (− 10.05 to -0.73)

 M2

34.72 ± 11.58

41.00 ± 12.20

− 6.28 (− 10.85 to − 1.71)

 M3

32.52 ± 10.41

40.62 ± 11.55

− 8.10 (− 13.32 to − 3.88)

TNF-α, ng/l

 M0

48.90 ± 17.13

46.57 ± 14.90

2.33 (− 3.90 to 8.56)

5.282

0.003

 M1

44.49 ± 15.38

47.67 ± 14.22

− 3.18 (− 8.89 to 2.53)

 M2

41.89 ± 15.38

48.01 ± 13.65

− 6.12 (− 11.60 to − 0.64)

 M3

37.70 ± 13.95

48.59 ± 14.03

− 10.89 (− 16.28 to − 5.50)