Posters
Presenting Author Academic/Professional Position
Anjana Ganesh, Nina Mourão, Elena Dike
Academic Level (Author 1)
Medical Student
Discipline/Specialty (Author 1)
Neurology
Academic Level (Author 2)
Medical Student
Discipline/Specialty (Author 2)
Neurology
Academic Level (Author 3)
Medical Student
Discipline/Specialty (Author 3)
Neurology
Academic Level (Author 4)
Faculty
Discipline/Specialty (Author 4)
Neurology
Discipline Track
Clinical Science
Abstract Type
Research/Clinical
Abstract
Background: More than one in five U.S. adults live with a mental illness (1). Symptoms can range from mild to severe, with neuropsychiatric patients experiencing major difficulty in their daily activities. In 2021, an estimated 14.5 million adults in the United States had at least one major depressive episode with severe impairment in the past year (2). Treatment options currently include therapeutic and pharmacologic interventions based on large group data, but medications often take months to years to tailor to each patient. Genetic analysis provides an opportunity for personalized medicine for this vulnerable patient population through insight into the basis of neuropsychiatric disorders, mechanism of disease, and protentional therapeutic targets.
Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted using PubMed to evaluate the role of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) in neuropsychiatric disorders, focusing on its impact across all life stages including embryogenesis, pregnancy and fertility, post-partum, and aging. The electronic databases including PubMed and Google Scholar were searched from 2015-2025 including key words like “MTHFR”, “neuropsychiatric disorders”, “Folate Metabolism”, “Homocysteine”, “Fertility” and “Aging”. Studies were included if they met the following criteria: 1) Published in peer-reviewed journals, 2) Addressed the association between MTHFR polymorphisms and neuropsychiatric disorders, 3) Included data relevant to at least one life stage from embryogenesis to aging. Articles not written in English or lacking full-text access were excluded.
Results/Anticipated Outcome: Based on the literature review, we found that one gene in particular, MTHFR, plays a role in folate metabolism, homocysteine regulation and neurotransmitter production (3). Further, genetic polymorphisms of MTHFR are implicated in the pathology of neuropsychiatric disorders such as major depressive disorder (MDD), postpartum depression (PPD), anxiety, addiction, and suicidality. In this review, we cover MTHFR’s impact across all life stages including embryogenesis, pregnancy and fertility, post-partum, and aging.
Conclusion/Impact: Lastly, we explore the use of MTHFR in tailored pharmacology and precision neuropsychiatric treatment for patients with MTHFR mutations. This review highlights the importance of MTHFR as a significant biomarker and therapeutic target for neuropsychiatric care. In understanding the implication of MTHFR throughout the lifespan, findings support movement towards personalized psychiatric medicine – allowing for earlier identification of at-risk individuals and tailored interventions such as folate supplementation. Further clinical research can be done to understand the efficacy of targeted gene therapy for those with symptomatic MTHFR polymorphisms.
Presentation Type
Poster
Recommended Citation
Ganesh, Anjana; Mourão, Nina; Dike, Elena; and Gadad, Bharathi, "MTHFR’s Role in Neuropsychiatric Disorders: Insights into Precision Psychiatric Treatment" (2025). Research Colloquium. 79.
https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/colloquium/2025/posters/79
Included in
MTHFR’s Role in Neuropsychiatric Disorders: Insights into Precision Psychiatric Treatment
Background: More than one in five U.S. adults live with a mental illness (1). Symptoms can range from mild to severe, with neuropsychiatric patients experiencing major difficulty in their daily activities. In 2021, an estimated 14.5 million adults in the United States had at least one major depressive episode with severe impairment in the past year (2). Treatment options currently include therapeutic and pharmacologic interventions based on large group data, but medications often take months to years to tailor to each patient. Genetic analysis provides an opportunity for personalized medicine for this vulnerable patient population through insight into the basis of neuropsychiatric disorders, mechanism of disease, and protentional therapeutic targets.
Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted using PubMed to evaluate the role of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) in neuropsychiatric disorders, focusing on its impact across all life stages including embryogenesis, pregnancy and fertility, post-partum, and aging. The electronic databases including PubMed and Google Scholar were searched from 2015-2025 including key words like “MTHFR”, “neuropsychiatric disorders”, “Folate Metabolism”, “Homocysteine”, “Fertility” and “Aging”. Studies were included if they met the following criteria: 1) Published in peer-reviewed journals, 2) Addressed the association between MTHFR polymorphisms and neuropsychiatric disorders, 3) Included data relevant to at least one life stage from embryogenesis to aging. Articles not written in English or lacking full-text access were excluded.
Results/Anticipated Outcome: Based on the literature review, we found that one gene in particular, MTHFR, plays a role in folate metabolism, homocysteine regulation and neurotransmitter production (3). Further, genetic polymorphisms of MTHFR are implicated in the pathology of neuropsychiatric disorders such as major depressive disorder (MDD), postpartum depression (PPD), anxiety, addiction, and suicidality. In this review, we cover MTHFR’s impact across all life stages including embryogenesis, pregnancy and fertility, post-partum, and aging.
Conclusion/Impact: Lastly, we explore the use of MTHFR in tailored pharmacology and precision neuropsychiatric treatment for patients with MTHFR mutations. This review highlights the importance of MTHFR as a significant biomarker and therapeutic target for neuropsychiatric care. In understanding the implication of MTHFR throughout the lifespan, findings support movement towards personalized psychiatric medicine – allowing for earlier identification of at-risk individuals and tailored interventions such as folate supplementation. Further clinical research can be done to understand the efficacy of targeted gene therapy for those with symptomatic MTHFR polymorphisms.
