Cardiometabolic Diseases Significantly Accelerate Onset and Worsening of Neuropsychiatric Disorders: Study Finds
China: Individuals with cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs) such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, and stroke are at a significantly elevated risk of developing neurological and psychiatric disorders—and of progressing to more severe neuropsychiatric conditions and death—according to a large-scale longitudinal study published in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.
The research, conducted by Jiang Li, MPH, from the Institute and Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism at Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and colleagues, examined the long-term impact of CMDs on mental and neurological health. The team analyzed data from over 400,000 individuals enrolled in the UK Biobank, following them for a median period of 14.1 years.
The study focused on the progression from being neurologically and psychiatrically healthy to developing a first neuropsychiatric disorder (FNPD), progressing to neuropsychiatric multimorbidity (NPM)—defined as the coexistence of at least two conditions such as dementia, Parkinson’s disease, depression, anxiety, or sleep disorders—and finally to death.
The key findings of the study were as follows:
- There was a strong association between cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs) and all stages of neuropsychiatric disorder progression.
- Each additional CMD increased the risk of developing a first neuropsychiatric disorder by 28%.
- The presence of more CMDs raised the likelihood of progressing from a single neuropsychiatric condition to neuropsychiatric multimorbidity by 7%.
- The risk of death from any stage of neuropsychiatric disorder progression increased by up to 38% with each added CMD.
When researchers broke down the transitions by specific neuropsychiatric conditions, they observed that the relationship between CMDs and neuropsychiatric outcomes varied depending on the type and combination of CMDs present. This highlights the complexity and interplay between physical and mental health conditions.
“Cardiometabolic diseases appear to play a key role at nearly every stage of neuropsychiatric deterioration,” the authors noted. “Their impact is not limited to the initial onset of disorders but extends to the worsening of neuropsychiatric burden and increased mortality.”
The study's results were further supported by analyses from a separate Chinese population cohort in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), reinforcing the generalizability of these findings across populations.
These insights have significant implications for public health and clinical care. The researchers emphasized the urgent need for integrated approaches to managing CMDs, not only to reduce cardiovascular risk but also to prevent the onset and worsening of neuropsychiatric illnesses.
The study highlights the importance of early detection and comprehensive management of cardiometabolic health as a potential strategy to curb the rising burden of mental and neurological disorders, particularly in aging populations.
Reference:
Li J, Xu X, Sun Y, Yu Y, Fu Y, Tan X, He L, Wang N, Lu Y, Wang B. Cardiometabolic diseases and dynamic transitions of neuropsychiatric disorders: A longitudinal trajectory analysis. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2025 Jul 16. doi: 10.1111/dom.16614. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40667714.
