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Psychotropic medications and mitochondrial toxicity

Nature Reviews Neuroscience volume 13, page 650 (2012)Cite this article

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In a recent Review, Husseini Manji and colleagues summarize the growing body of evidence linking impaired mitochondrial function to the pathophysiology of several major psychiatric illnesses, including mood disorders, autism and schizophrenia (Impaired mitochondrial function in psychiatric disorders. Nature Rev. Neurosci. 13, 293–307 (2012))1.

One of the often-overlooked contributors to mitochondrial dysfunction is the psychotropic medication used to treat these psychiatric conditions. Multiple studies have shown that both typical and atypical antipsychotic medications can inhibit the mitochondrial respiratory chain2,3,4. Similarly, the mood stabilizer valproic acid can inhibit the mitochondrial respiratory chain and result in secondary impairment of mitochondrial function through the induction of carnitine deficiency5,6. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants inhibit mitochondrial function in animal models of depression and are potentially toxic in high doses, resulting in dysfunction of the mitochondrial respiratory chain and decreased ATP production7,8.

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  1. Patricia Rosebush and Michael Mazurek are at the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, Rebecca Anglin, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8N 4A6, Canada.,

    Rebecca Anglin, Patricia Rosebush & Michael Mazurek

  2. Rebecca Anglin and Michael Mazurek are also at the Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8N 3Z5, Canada.,

    Rebecca Anglin & Michael Mazurek

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  1. Rebecca Anglin
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  2. Patricia Rosebush
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Correspondence to Rebecca Anglin.

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Anglin, R., Rosebush, P. & Mazurek, M. Psychotropic medications and mitochondrial toxicity. Nat Rev Neurosci 13, 650 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn3229-c1

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