Nature Communications · 22 August 2026 · From issue 25
Enhanced axonal mitochondrial motility and neural activity-induced energy deficits destabilize synaptic transmission in models of bipolar disorder
In lab-grown human brain cells and mice, restless energy factories inside brain cells destabilize signals linked to bipolar disorder.
Sunan Li, Gui-Jing Xiong et al.
Brain cells grown from bipolar disorder patients cannot hold their tiny energy factories in place. These energy factories, called mitochondria, normally sit at the spots where brain cells send signals to each other. In bipolar cells, they move around too much and leave those spots empty, which drains energy and makes signals unpredictable. A drug called lithium fixed this problem in the lab and also fixed manic-like behavior in mice.
Shown only in lab-grown neurons and mice, not yet confirmed in patients.
Lab-grown cells and mice only, not tested in real patients.
Integrity screen: passed (3 checks) Checked 23 August 2026. Retraction record: none. DOI resolves at doi.org. Metadata record found (Nature Communications). Read the source
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