Archive 1995–2023

Objective. Sirtuins – proteins found in all living organisms – are involved in many cellular processes such as aging, transcription, apoptosis, inflammation, silencing of gene transcription, DNA repair. The role of sirtuins as part of the pathogenesis of some mental disorders has been discussed. Unfortunately, there are only a few papers showing correlation between the mechanisms of action of sirtuins and the onset of mental illness. The aim of the study was to show the role of sirtuins in the pathogenesis of some psychiatric disorders.

Literature review. For several years, research studies have been conducted on the effects of sirtuins and the occurrence of schizophrenia, bipolar and depressive disorders. Some studies provide evidence that the allelic variants of SIRT1 contribute to an increased risk of schizophrenia, at least in some Asian populations. Recently, SIRT1 has been recognized as an important molecule that plays a role in the mechanisms of circadian rhythms. Abnormalities of the circadian cycle can be related to the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD), suggesting an important role of SIRT1. It has been shown that SIRT2 protein is involved in the pathophysiology of depression caused by the chronic unpredictable stress (CUS). Inhibition of SIRT2 protein expression in the hippocampus has the effect on depression disorders. These studies have been conducted on animal models.

Conclusions. There are bound to exist various previ­ously unknown relationships between sirtuins and the prevalence of mental disorders. There is a chance a better understanding of these mechanisms will enable the development of new forms of therapy for these diseases.