Breaking the Cycle: Addressing the Interplay Between Respiratory, Metabolic, and Psychiatric Disorders

Abstract

Psychiatric disorders, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and type 2 diabetes (T2D) share common mechanisms, including neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, systemic inflammation, and gut microbiota alterations. This literature review evaluates key molecular and clinical intersections across these diseases. Analyzing peer-reviewed studies (2020–2025) from databases like PubMed and Scopus, our findings highlight oxidative stress and systemic inflammation as major drivers of disease progression, with hypoxia-induced neuroinflammation and gut dysbiosis emerging as critical factors. Early psychiatric screening in COPD and T2D patients is essential, alongside precision medicine approaches such as biomarker diagnostics and microbiome-based therapies. Addressing inflammation and autonomic dysfunction could help break the cycle of disease progression. This study advocates for a multidisciplinary healthcare approach, emphasising integrated, patient-centered management strategies.