FLICKR, MIKEBLOGS
Researchers have identified a nerve growth factor that regulates synaptic plasticity and appears to have antidepressant effects. In new research, published today (June 25) in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, scientists show that neuritin, which increases synaptic connections in the hippocampus, can alleviate stress-induced depressive symptoms. The findings give insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying depression, as well as identifying a possible target for therapeutics.
“The work does a really good job of convincing me that neuritin is involved in depression,” said Scott Russo, who studies the brain’s response to stress at Mount Sinai Medical School in New York, and was not involved in the research. “[Neuritin] has the potential to both prevent and correct depression.”
Previous work has shown that stress and ...
