The prestigious journal European Neuropsychopharmacology (ENP), official journal of the European College of Neuropsychomarmacology has invited Dr. Analia Bortolozzi, principal investigator of the Systems Neuropharmacology group of the IIBB - CSIC and CIBERSAM, and coordinator of the Translational Research Programme on Brain Disorders, IDIBAPS to review the role of circulating extracellular vesicles and their miRNA content as potential biomarkers in psychiatry.

The last decade has seen remarkable advances in the understanding of the role of RNA in health and disease. RNA is becoming an increasingly important target for therapeutic intervention. Indeed, miRNAs, small non-coding RNAs of about 20 base pairs in length that regulate gene expression, can be used as molecular targets for developing new therapeutic agents in psychiatry. For example, antagomirs that can directly compete with endogenous miRNAs have been generated, as well as exogenous miRNAs (e.g. miR-135) capable of regulating gene expression with therapeutic potential as antidepressants.

Importantly, miRNAs can be encapsulated in extracellular vesicles (EVs). EVs are nanoscale vesicles released by different cell types, including brain cells (e.g. neurons, astrocytes, microglia, oligodendrocytes) and encapsulate various molecules such as proteins and nucleic acids, in particular miRNAs, reflecting the composition and function of the cell of origin. Brain-derived EVs represent a promising tool for understanding and diagnosing neuropsychiatric disorders, as they provide critical molecular information about brain activity. Their ability to cross the blood-brain barrier while protecting their cargo from degradation makes them a stable and representative source of biomarkers, including miRNAs, enabling the study of brain pathophysiology through non-invasive peripheral blood sampling.

The ENP's invited commentary to Dr. Bortolozzi and her team also discusses the use of EVs derived from patient’s brain or plasma to create robust, disease-relevant animal models, which would advance neuropsychiatric research and therapeutic development.

Reference article

Lluis Miquel Rio, Gerad Anmella and Analia Bortolozzi. MiRNAs and extracellular vesicles in psychiatry: Potential biomarkers, therapeutic advances, and animal models. European Neuropsychopharmacology 93 (2025) 3–4

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924977X24008095