Mitochondrial Transplantation in Animal Models of Psychiatric Disorders: A Novel Approach to Psychiatric Treatment

Mitochondria are essential for brain function, and accumulating evidence from postmortem brain studies, neuroimaging, and basic research indicates mitochondrial impairments in patients with psychiatric disorders. Restoring mitochondrial function therefore represents a promising therapeutic strategy for these conditions. Mitochondrial transplantation, an innovative approach that uses functional mitochondria to repair damaged cells, has demonstrated efficacy through various delivery methods in cell, animal, and animal disease models. This review explores the critical link between mitochondria and psychiatric disorders and provides an overview of mitochondrial transplantation as a therapeutic intervention. It highlights recent advances in mitochondrial transplantation in animal models of psychiatric disorders, focusing on delivery methods, the timing of administration, and the integration of exogenous mitochondria into brain cells. The potential therapeutic effects and the mechanisms that underlie these effects are discussed. Additionally, this review evaluates the clinical relevance, challenges, and future strategies for the application of mitochondrial transplantation in the treatment of psychiatric disorders.