Long non-coding RNAs and accelerated aging in bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder (BD) has been associated with accelerated biological aging, potentially driven by genetic and environmental factors. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), key regulators of epigenetic, telomere attrition, and cellular aging processes, may play a role in accelerated aging in BD. This review summarizes current evidence on aging-associated lncRNAs and their relevance to BD. We searched PubMed for English-language original studies published up to June 2, 2025, using keywords related to lncRNAs, aging-related mechanisms, and aging-associated neuropsychiatric disorders. A total of 112 articles reported 163 lncRNAs, of which 19 were common to aging-related mechanisms and aging-associated neuropsychiatric disorders. Among these, ANRIL, HOTAIR, TUG1, MALAT1, NEAT1, and GAS5 have been reported in both aging-related contexts and BD; however, their relevance to BD requires further confirmation in independent and well-characterized cohorts. The remaining overlapping lncRNAs may represent additional candidates of interest for future investigation rather than established contributors to BD pathophysiology.