I read an interesting article today about mitochondria and their importance for our brain health. The mitochondrion is the powerhouse of our cells that churns out ATP, crucial for sustaining the life processes in the cells. The mitochondrion was a primitive bacterium that was engulfed by our oldest ancestor, a solo, free -floating cell that became, like said before, the powerhouse of the cell. There are trillions of mitochondria in our body, and they all have remnants of their past, their own DNA. These features of mitochondria are crucial for our cells, but they can also be a source of potential problems. Like the DNA inside the nucleus of a cell that makes up the human genome, the mitochondrial DNA can also harbor mutations. Age stress, and other factors can also disrupt mitochondrial functions. On top of that, the injury of mitochondria can make it release molecules that, due to their similarity to bacteria, can be mistaken by our immune system as foreign invaders. And there is the organ that is particularly vulnerable to mitochondrial damage. That is our power- hungry brain. In fact, every neuron has up to 2 million mitochondria. So, it is no wonder that there is a growing interest among scientists in the contributions of mitochondria to brain disorders. Studies in humans and lab animals suggest that mitochondria can be key players in such diseases as autism, schizophrenia, depression, and Parkinson's disease. The scientists found disturbances in mitochondrial functions, particularly in how they metabolize the sugar to create energy in people with schizophrenia and depression. Studies also suggest that mitochondria can be sensitive to such risk factor for many mental illnesses as psychological stress in early life. As for potential treatments, I was delighted to find out that exercise plays an important role by boosting the function of mitochondria. So, I am now more motivated to incorporate more movement into my life because of the scientifically proven healing effects that the exercise has on people who struggle with their mental health.