Neuronal mitochondrial dysfunction in a cellular model of circadian rhythm disruption is rescued by donepezil

Human circadian rhythm refers to the intrinsic ∼24-h oscillation that regulates biological processes to adapt to environments. Disruption of rhythmicity causes mitochondrial dysfunction, changes metabolism, and is associated with neurodegenerative diseases and mental disorders. By employing cellular respiration analyses and mitochondrial membrane potential characterization, we confirmed that donepezil, a sigma-1 receptor agonist, restored mitochondrial function in neuronal cells with induced-circadian rhythm disruption (CRD). This protective effect was elicited by boosting oxidative respiration and increasing mitochondrial membrane potentials. Furthermore, donepezil treatment reinstated rhythmicity of core clock genes. Our findings suggest a novel countermeasure for treating CRD-related neurodegeneration and mental disorders.