depression

After injecting moderate doses of the dissociative anesthetic into the animals, previously “awake” brain cells go dark, and those that had been dormant suddenly light up.

In stressful conditions, specialized protein complexes in microglia induce neurotoxic activity in astrocytes that leads to the change in behavior.

The research has caveats, including side effects and a lack of durability in the benefits of a single dose.

The findings likely have implications for animal research far beyond the study of antidepressants.

Experiments in animals and observations in humans suggest that the amount of proline circulating in one’s plasma has a strong association with depression severity.

An epigenome-wide association study found more than a dozen methylation changes in placental DNA that correlated with expectant mothers’ self-reports of depression and stress during their pregnancy.

A large genome-wide association study in East Asians uncovers novel genetic links to depression, calling attention to the consequences of underrepresentation of non-European groups in genetic research data.

A light-sensitive gene involved in regulating the body clock may also influence mood, mediating the effect of light.

Researchers in a small but growing field search for neural correlates of religiosity and spirituality.

The largest study of its kind identifies single nucleotide polymorphisms with disparate effects on men’s and women’s susceptibility to conditions such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

The gastrointestinal tracts of people with major depressive disorder harbor a signature composition of viruses, bacteria, and their metabolic products, according to the most comprehensive genomic and metabolomic analysis in depression to date.

Absence of human contact is associated with declines in cognitive function. But as the COVID-19 pandemic brings concerns about the potential harms of isolation to the fore, researchers are still hunting for concrete evidence of a causal role as well as possible mechanisms.

Studies point to a role for physical activity in fighting malignancies, improving treatment outcomes, and fostering overall health in patients.

After an accident as a teenager, he developed the disorder. He then studied the brain to better understand his own seizures, and now plans to sail around the world to show others with the condition how to push their limits.

Clues about the biological mechanisms that contribute to a person’s chance of contemplating or attempting suicide

The biochemical mechanisms in the brain underlying suicidal behavior are beginning to come to light, and researchers hope they could one day lead to better treatment and prevention strategies.