Coenzyme Q10 and neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders: relevance for schizophrenia

ABSTRACT

Objective: Mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and other neuropsychiatric disorders. Though the exact mechanisms and clinical implications for this dysfunction are not fully determined, there is a hypothesis that deficiency in coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) may contribute to mitochondrial impairments and be reflected in cognitive, affective, and energy disturbances in the disorders. CoQ10 is a critical component of the mitochondrial respiratory chain and an essential free radical scavenger, necessary for mitochondrial function. Here, we review the results of CoQ10 supplementation interventions for adults with various neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders and consider the therapeutic potential of CoQ10 supplementation for schizophrenia in light of these studies.

Methods: A literature review of randomised controlled trials and open-label studies investigating the effect of CoQ10 as a single intervention in adults with neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders was conducted.

Results: CoQ10 supplementation has some positive effects on fatigue, cognitive impairment and affective difficulties in several neurological and neuropsychiatric conditions with associated mitochondrial dysfunction.

Discussion: CoQ10 may be of therapeutic value to schizophrenia given evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction in the disorder.

KEYWORDS:

• Coenzyme Q10
• schizophrenia
• neurological disorders
• psychiatric disorders
• treatment
• cognitive impairment
• mitochondrial dysfunction

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Iain Hargreaves for feedback and early contributions to the literature review.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Áine Maguire is a PhD candidate investigating the effects of Coenzyme Q10 in schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder.

Dr April Hargreaves (PhD) is Programme Director of Psychology at National College of Ireland and Research Affiliate at Trinity College Dublin. Her research focuses on cognition in psychosis, which she investigates from both a genetic and therapeutic standpoint. Most recently Dr Hargreaves has published on the Effectiveness of Cognitive Remediation Therapy for cognitive and functional outcomes in psychosis. Her current research expands on that theme, investigating the same outcomes in relation to the administration of Coenzyme Q10.

Professor Michael Gill (MD, MRCPsych FTCD) is Professor of Psychiatry and Head of the School of Medicine at Trinity College Dublin and Consultant Psychiatrist at St James' Hospital, Dublin. He developed and led the Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group and is a member of the steering group of the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium and a lead investigator on the international PGC3 award, focusing on whole genome sequencing of large pedigrees segregating psychiatric disorders.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Trinity College Dublin.