Mitochondria and the central nervous system: searching for a pathophysiological basis of psychiatric disorders.
BACKGROUND
Mitochondrial dysfunction has been postulated to participate in the development of many neuropsychiatric disorders, but there is no consensus as to its role. The aim of this paper is to review recent studies and to outline the current understanding of the association between mitochondrial dysfunction and psychiatric disorders.


METHODS
We reviewed articles that evaluated mitochondrial dysfunction and psychiatric disorders, with a particular focus on depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and autism spectrum disorder, and the association between mitochondrial dysfunction and development of these disorders.


RESULTS
Evidence suggests that alterations in mitochondrial morphology, brain energy metabolism, and mitochondrial enzyme activity may be involved in the pathophysiology of different neuropsychiatric disorders, given their key role in energy metabolism in the cell.


CONCLUSIONS
Understanding the interactions between mitochondrial dysfunction and development of psychiatric disorders may help establish more effective therapeutic strategies for these disorders and thus lead to better outcomes for affected subjects.
Bioenergetics Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil.
Emilio L
EL
Streck
Bioenergetics Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil.
Cinara L
CL
Gonçalves
Bioenergetics Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil.
Camila B
CB
Furlanetto
Bioenergetics Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil.
Giselli
G
Scaini
Bioenergetics Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil.
Felipe
F
Dal-Pizzol
National Science and Technology Institute for Translational Medicine (INCT-TM), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
João
J
Quevedo
D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D028361:Mitochondrial Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*