Exploring mitochondrial disturbances in neurodevelopmental disorders

Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are characterized by striking heterogeneity in neural function, behaviour, sensory processing, sleep, and everyday health. Altered neural connectivity and neurotransmission are important components of this heterogeneity, but increasing evidence also points to disturbances in energy metabolism, mitochondrial function, and oxidative stress, particularly in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Rather than viewing these mechanisms in isolation, this campfire session will explore how they may interact across levels of neurodevelopmental functioning.

We will ask whether mitochondrial dysfunction should primarily be considered a cause or consequence of altered neuronal activity—or whether a broader framework of dynamic energy regulation may better capture how the brain and body respond to changing developmental and environmental demands. We shall explore whether difficulties in matching energy supply to demand help explain features such as sensory vulnerability, cognitive inflexibility, fatigue and hyperactivity, fluctuating functioning, and reduced resilience in some individuals with NDDs.

Using ASD as a starting point, we will discuss how metabolic and mitochondrial findings might help identify biologically meaningful subgroups and inform mechanism-based interventions, while critically considering the current limits of the evidence. Together with participants, we will explore how an energy-regulation perspective could connect molecular, neural, immune, metabolic, and clinical heterogeneity and identify the most important questions for future translational research.