New Research Uncovers How Antidepressants Work
Reserachers at Queensland Brain Insitute in Australia have discovered the class of drugs that increase levels of a neurotransmitter known as ̵6;norepinephrine̵7; triggers neurogenesis ̵1; the growth of new neurons ̵1; in a brain region called the hippocampus. If you block hippocampus neurogenesis, antidepressants no longer work,̶1; lead researcher Dr Dhanisha Jhaveri said. ̶0;That suggests antidepressants must up-regulate neurogenesis in order for them to actually have any affect on behavior.̶1;
However, the neuroscientists also found not all antidepressants worked in the same way. Dr Jhaveri said surprisingly, the class of antidepressants that increase levels of the neurotransmitter called serotonin ̵1; Prozac is a common example ̵1; fails to stimulate neurogenesis. ̶0;Norepinephrine is basically binding directly onto the precursors which then initiate a signal which leads to the production of more neurons,̶1; she said.
Using rodent models the research, published today in the Journal of Neuroscience , established that selectively blocking the re-uptake of norepinephrine directly activated hippocampal stem cells thereby discovering a much larger pool of dormant precursors in the hippocampus than previously thought to exist.
This research may provide insights into treatment for depression and understanding of its underlying etiology.
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