Depression is one of the most dangerous health problems in 21st-century society, and according to research, the problem is only growing. The number of people developing the disease is increasing year upon year, and as a result, scientists are dedicated to finding new effective treatments. Currently, the reigning methods are a combination of therapy and anti-depressants, to stabilise the mood and help ‘take the edge off’ symptoms. However, science may have just happened upon another new method to reverse the symptoms of depression, by activating certain brain cells.
Can depression be reversed?
According to researchers from US-based Augusta University, there are certain genes which can be activated to reverse depression.
A team of scientists led by molecular behavioural neuroscientist Dr Xin-Yun Lu studied the prefrontal cortex, a complex region of the brain responsible for planning and social behaviours.
The prefrontal cortex is also a particular site of the brain which shows the development of depression.
In this region of the brain, scientists observed the SIRT1 gene seems to have a major impact on the symptoms of depression.
According to Dr Lu and her team, deactivating this gene in excitatory neurons (which increase likelihood neurotransmitters will fire, vital in regulating mood) caused depression symptoms in mice.
Drugs which activated this gene were associated with a reversal of these symptoms.
Gene manipulation is not the cause of depression but the new discovery opens up a new avenue of research for anti-depressant medication.
Already, Doctor Lu has noted the actions taken by the team have had promising results for reversing depression symptoms.
Doctor Lu says these actions cause “an antidepressant-like effect.”
Drugs which activate this SIRT1 gene and enable higher activity could one day be a valid recourse for people suffering from the disorder.
The firing of these excitatory neurotransmitters is notably decreased in those suffering from depression.
Essentially, in depressed people, the transmitters are not performing as they normally should be.
Doctor Lu says: “It’s like they are disconnected.”
The researcher said those who suffer from manic behaviour and seizures are suffering from the opposite problem, as they have neurotransmitters which are firing too much.
While the results of the study seem promising, the research has only found a correlation in mice and is not applicable to humans yet.