Recent scientific discussions are expanding beyond brain activity to explore how mental illness might leave its mark across the entire body. A collaborative study from researchers at the University of Melbourne in Australia presents evidence that bodily indicators may reveal mental health conditions with clearer signals than brain scans alone. The research appears in an article published by JAMA Psychiatry.
In the study, scientists analyzed data from more than 175,000 individuals, including people diagnosed with serious conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, and generalized anxiety disorder. The dataset combined MRI assessments of brain structure and function with a broad array of health measurements spanning immune function, cardiovascular status, blood health, and metabolic indicators.
As expected, participants with psychiatric diagnoses showed subtle changes in brain activity and structure. But the findings also highlighted a consistent pattern: those with mental illness tended to have poorer physical health across multiple body systems compared with individuals without a diagnosed mental health condition.
The relationship between mental health and physical well-being is extensive and well documented. Individuals coping with serious mental illness often experience higher rates of chronic conditions such as obesity and diabetes. For example, schizophrenia is associated with roughly a threefold increase in diabetes risk and about twice the likelihood of developing coronary heart disease when compared with the general population.
Beyond these traditional risks, the research raises questions about how psychiatric disorders might influence other organ systems, including lung function, liver activity, and bone density. While these connections are less fully understood, the data suggest meaningful associations between mental health status and the health of these organ systems as well.
Researchers noted that indicators tied to liver and kidney function, immune performance, and metabolic processes tended to be poorer in the presence of any mental illness. In several respects, these systemic health markers offered predictive value for diagnosis that complemented, and in some cases surpassed, brain imaging alone.