Growing evidence points to a connection between mental illness and altered metabolism in the brain; thus, treatment addressing this dysfunction may improve patient outcomes.
 

For example, as insulin resistance develops, the brain becomes “leakier,” meaning more substances can pass through the blood-brain barrier and get into brain tissue. This results in a buildup of toxic substances and increased inflammation. We see significantly more inflammation in the brains of people with mental illness, especially in treatment-resistant patients, than in healthy people.

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There has also been a lot of research over the last century regarding metabolism and mitochondrial dysfunction, and how that affects brain activity in mental illness. Mitochondria are the site for energy production and consumption in the cell. If they aren’t working properly, the communication and connections between brain cells — also known as neural networks — are less stable, which impairs cognition and worsens mental health.