SUBSCRIBE!

Stories

Mental Disorders and Brain Energy Levels – A New Direction in Psychiatry

Thursday, July 31, 2025
by Eliot Rifkin

Could the energy levels in our brains hold the key to understanding mental disorders? New research from James Cook University’s Professor Zoltan Sarnyai and 40 global neuroscientists suggests that disruptions in ʻhowʻ the brain uses energy may be at the core of such conditions such as depression, psychosis, and epilepsy to name a few.

4ZZZ's Eliot Rifkin chats with Professor Zoltan Sarnyai of James Cook University’s Margaret Roderick Centre for Mental Health Research about how this “landmark” discovery could revolutionise psychiatry and what it may mean for future mental health treatments.

For a deep dive...

Here's Neuroscientist Zoltán Sarnyai's bio and published works or follow him on X and YouTube. If you'd like to delve into how the brain getss and uses energy his an article from Biliogy Insights "Brain Metabolism: How the Brain Gets and Uses Energy" Here's a couple of concepts we spoke of... ATP, Mitochondria and Glycogen.

...and for those of you that want to pursue a Mediterranean Diet or try intermittent Fasting.


Eliot Rifkin

Eliot Rifkin is a Journalist and Producer on Thursday Brisbane Line

Zedlines

ZEDLINES, FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 5 2025, 11AM

Sep 5, 2025

Your 11AM Zedlines with Chelsea, Izzy and Toby

ZEDLINES, FRIDAY 5 SEPTEMBER 2025, 10AM

Sep 5, 2025

Your 10AM Zedlines with Izzy and Emma

ZEDLINES, FRIDAY 5 SEPTEMBER 2025, 9AM

Sep 5, 2025

Your 9am Zedlines with Toby and Chelsea

ZEDLINES, FRIDAY 5 SEPTEMBER 2025, 8AM

Sep 5, 2025

Your 8AM Zedlines with Lauren and Emma

ZEDLINES, WEDNESDAY 3 SEPTEMBER 2025, 11AM

Sep 3, 2025

Your 11am Zedlines with Alessia and Hope

Image credit: ABC

ZEDLINES, WEDNESDAY 3 SEPTEMBER 2025, 10AM

Sep 2, 2025

Your 10am Zedlines with Maritza and Alpine  

Image credit: The West Australian

ZEDLINES, WEDNESDAY 3 SEPTEMBER 2025, 9AM

Sep 2, 2025

Your 9AM Zedlines with Sophie and Hope

ZEDLINES, WEDNESDAY 3 SEPTEMBER 2025, 8AM

Sep 2, 2025

Your 8am Zedlines with Maritza and Alessia

Image Credit: BBC

ZEDLINES, TUESDAY 2 SEPTEMBER, 11AM

Sep 2, 2025

Your 11AM Zedlines with Max, Eliza, Jaz and Annisa 

IMG CREDIT : ALPHA , FLICKR

ZEDLINES, TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 2025, 10AM

Sep 2, 2025

Your 10AM Zedlines with Eliza and Max.

ZEDLINES, TUESDAY 2 SEPTEMBER 2025, 8AM

Sep 1, 2025

Your 8AM Zedlines with Max, Eliza, Jaz and Anisa 

ZEDLINES, MONDAY 1 SEPTEMBER 2025, 11AM

Sep 1, 2025

Your 11AM Zedlines with Nick and Olivia

ZEDLINES, MONDAY 1 SEPTEMBER 2025, 10AM

Sep 1, 2025

Your 10AM Zedlines with Ruby and Olivia

ZEDLINES, MONDAY 1 SEPTEMBER 2025, 9AM

Sep 1, 2025

Your 9AM Zedlines with Nick and Ruby

ZEDLINES, FRIDAY AUGUST 29 2025, 9AM

Aug 29, 2025

Your 11am Zedlines with Seb, Lauren and Jas

ZEDLINES, FRIDAY AUGUST 29 2025, 10AM

Aug 29, 2025

Your 10am Zedlines with Lauren and Jas 

ZEDLINES, FRIDAY AUGUST 29 2025, 9AM

Aug 29, 2025

Your 9am Zedlines with Lauren and Seb 

ZEDLINES, FRIDAY AUGUST 29 2025, 8AM

Aug 29, 2025

Your 8am Zedlines with Seb and Jas 

ZEDLINES, THURSDAY AUGUST 28 2025, 11AM

Aug 28, 2025

Your 11AM Zedlines with Bianca and Bryce

ZEDLINES, THURSDAY AUGUST 28 2025, 10AM

Aug 28, 2025

Your 10AM Zedlines with Bianca and Bryce

ZEDLINES, THURSDAY AUGUST 28 2025, 9AM

Aug 27, 2025

Your 9AM Zedlines with Bryce and Bianca

ZEDLINES, THURSDAY AUGUST 28 2025, 8AM

Aug 27, 2025

Your 8AM Zedlines with Bianca and Bryce 

IMG: From Translink Facebook

ZEDLINES, WEDNESDAY 27 AUGUST 2025, 10AM

Aug 27, 2025

Your 10AM Zedlines with Lola and Matilda

ZEDLINES, WEDNESDAY 27 AUGUST 2025, 8AM

Aug 27, 2025

Your 8AM Zedlines with Elly and Matilda

ZEDLINES TUESDAY AUGUST 26 2025, 10AM

Aug 26, 2025

Your 10AM Zedlines with Alex and Caitlyn

ZEDLINES, TUESDAY 26TH AUGUST 2025, 9AM

Aug 26, 2025

Your 9AM Zedlines with Alex and Caitlyn

ZEDLINES, 26th AUGUST 2025, 8AM

Aug 25, 2025

Your 8AM Zedlines with Alex and Caitlyn

ZEDLINES, MONDAY AUGUST 25 2025, 11AM

Aug 25, 2025

Your 11AM Zedlines with Kal and Chloe