Research Advances in Molecular Pathways Related to the Orexin System in Neuropsychiatric Disorders

WEI Siqi^1,2, ZHOU Xiaohong^1,2, LI Zicheng^1,3*

(¹Third-Grade Pharmacological Laboratory on Traditional Chinese Medicine, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China; ²College of Medicine and Health Sciences, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China; ³College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China)

Abstract:

Neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety disorders, insomnia, and PTSD, now represent a pressing global public health crisis, inflicting profound distress on affected individuals and fami lies alongside significant socioeconomic costs. These diseases severely impair the patients’ quality of life and so cial functioning, and lead to loss of labor capacity. Consequently, the quest for efficacious therapeutic strategies has remained a paramount focus in medicine. Recent advances have illuminated the orexin system, particularly OX1R and OX2R, as critical modulators in neuropsychiatric pathophysiology. Growing evidence supports the therapeutic potential of orexin receptor antagonists, positioning them as promising intervention targets. This re view, based on recent cutting-edge advancements in the field, systematically outlines and concisely elaborates on the research dynamics and mechanistic roles of the orexin system in neuropsychiatric disorders, with a focused analysis of its regulatory functions in the pathological mechanisms of related diseases.

CSTR: 32200.14.cjcb.2025.10.0021