哥倫比亞大學線粒體心理生物學實驗室主任馬丁·皮卡德提出了一種將線粒體置於健康與意識中心的理論。他親自參與了一項在代謝艙中進行的嚴格實驗，旨在探索維持基礎生存所需的能量，這被他認為是健康與疾病中常被忽視的關鍵因素。傳統上被視為細胞能量工廠的線粒體，實際上還處理影響情緒、壓力和睡眠的各種分子，這構成了他所謂的「生命的能量觀點」，即能量的流動是維持生命與意識的最基本層面。
皮卡德的研究表明，線粒體的功能與心理狀態密切相關，它們不僅影響細胞的能量轉換，還會改變基因表達和細胞生長。他早期的老鼠實驗顯示，線粒體的缺陷會改變生物體對壓力的反應。隨後，他的團隊開發了線粒體健康指數，能夠精確測量細胞器的能量轉換能力。此外，他與其他科學家合作繪製了人類大腦的線粒體圖譜，揭示了不同大腦區域和細胞類型中線粒體的差異，進一步證實了這些細胞器在認知功能和神經健康中扮演的關鍵角色。
最近的研究初步發現，患有罕見線粒體疾病的患者每天會消耗更多的能量，這導致他們更容易感到疲勞和壓力。皮卡德認為，我們的認知、情緒和意識體驗反映了更深層次的能量轉換過程。儘管他將線粒體與意識聯繫起來的大膽觀點在科學界引起了一些質疑，但他計畫在2027年成立一個新的非營利機構，致力於將實驗室的發現轉化為實際應用，推動一種結合代謝與人類體驗的全新癒合科學。
Martin Picard, director of the Mitochondrial Psychobiology Lab at Columbia University, has proposed a theory that places mitochondria at the center of health and consciousness. He personally participated in a rigorous experiment inside a metabolic chamber designed to explore the energy required to sustain baseline existence, a factor he considers crucial yet overlooked in health and disease. Traditionally viewed merely as cellular powerhouses, mitochondria actually process various molecules that affect mood, stress, and sleep, forming what he calls an "energetic view of life" where energy flow is the most fundamental level of life and consciousness.
Picard's research demonstrates that mitochondrial function is closely linked to mental states, influencing not only cellular energy transformation but also gene expression and cell growth. His early experiments on mice showed that mitochondrial defects alter biological responses to stress. Subsequently, his team developed the mitochondrial health index to precisely measure the organelles' energy transformation capacity. Furthermore, he collaborated with other scientists to map mitochondria across the human brain, revealing variations across brain regions and cell types, further confirming the critical role these organelles play in cognitive function and neurological health.
Recent preliminary studies have found that patients with rare mitochondrial diseases expend significantly more energy daily, leading them to feel more fatigued and stressed. Picard argues that our cognition, mood, and conscious experiences reflect these deeper processes of energy transformation. Although his bold views connecting mitochondria to consciousness have drawn some skepticism within the scientific community, he plans to establish a new nonprofit institute in 2027 dedicated to translating laboratory discoveries into practical applications, advancing a novel healing science that integrates metabolism with human experience.