Mitohormesis in health and disease: a friend or foe

Mitochondria fulfill acute and chronic energetic needs required for the proper functioning of cells. A variety of insults can activate the mitochondrial retrograde response, which instigates broad nuclear and cytosolic responses to influence mitochondrial homeostasis, known as mitohormesis. The energy source ATP, as well as several bioactive intermediates of the TCA cycle, trigger numerous cytosolic molecular cascades to maintain cellular homeostasis. Toxic shifts in the activity of intermediate bioactive metabolites set off several cytosolic signaling cascades, including epigenetic modifications, ion channel modulation, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Changes in mitohormesis can also affect the trajectory of metabolic and neurological disorders. Altogether, these observations suggest that mitohermesis may play a key role in the pathogenesis and later development of various disorders, and that its regulation may provide potential therapeutic options for the prevention of these disorders.



Currently, metabolic and neurological disorders have a pivotal impact on human health globally. Mitochondria are centrally associated with different metabolic processes which affect cellular functioning. This Research Topic aims to understand the intricacy of mitohormesis, which elicits numerous cellular responses associated with pathology, as well as investigate potential strategies for improving outcomes for patients suffering from neurological and metabolic complications.



This Research Topic is focused on presenting cutting-edge research that provides a comprehensive overview of the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of metabolic and neurological disorders, with an emphasis on mitochondrial processes, such as:


1. Role of mitohormesis in the pathogenesis of neurological and metabolic disorders.

3. Novel therapeutic approaches that target mitohormesis in neurological and metabolic disorders.

4. Identification of mitochondrial homeostasis biomarkers that are linked with health and disease.

5. Role of metabolic intermediates in the pathogenesis of neurological or metabolic disorders.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• ... View all formats

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Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: mitochondria, bioenergetics, mitochondrial biogenesis, inflammation, oxidative stress, epigenetics, neurodegeneration, mitohormesis, metabolic disorders, neurological disorders, homeostasis

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.