Exploring the Interplay between Mitochondrial DNA and Lifestyle Factors in the Pathogenesis of Psychiatric Disorders

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to investigate the interaction of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and lifestyle factors in the development of psychiatric disorders and to gain greater insight into their pathogenesis and comorbidity. We analyzed data from approximately 150,000 individuals from the UK Biobank. Mitochondrial gene-by-environment interaction studies (mtGEIS) were performed to assess the relationships between mtDNA and psychiatric disorders, such as anxiety, depression, and self-harm. These disorders were defined using diagnostic and severity indicators derived from the General Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Smoking and drinking behaviors were characterized based on UK Biobank criteria. For the mtGEIS, logistic and linear regression models from PLINK 2.0 were employed, accounting for covariates like age, sex, PC1-10, Townsend Deprivation Index (TDI), and educational attainment. We also conducted sex-stratified analyses to detect any gender-specific effects. Our findings highlighted significant associations between mtDNA and three psychiatric disorders. Moreover, the interplay between mtDNA and lifestyle factors showed significant associations with psychiatric disorders (all $P$ values < 0.05). Specifically, two mutant loci, T5004C ($B_{\text{Anx}\_\text{self}}=-0.0026$, $B_{\text{Dep}\_\text{self}}=-0.0024$, $B_{\text{Self}-\text{harm}}=-0.0018$) and G9123A ($B_{\text{Anx}\_\text{self}}=-0.0030$, $B_{\text{Dep}\_\text{self}}=-0.0024$, $B_{\text{Self}-\text{harm}}=-0.0017$), were found to reduce the risk of three disorders after interacting with alcohol. Sex-specific differences were also observed. In summary, the expression of mitochondrial genes could be modulated by lifestyle factors like smoking and drinking, potentially affecting psychiatric disorders. These habits might influence mitochondrial respiratory chain activity and the replication and transcriptional regulation of mitochondrial genes, culminating in changes in mitochondrial functionality and subsequently psychiatric disorders.