Molecular, genetic therapies
Hope for depression research flourishing
Determined to change those odds, a team of five scientists in the WSU College of Veterinary Medicine is homing in on the underlying
biochemical and molecular causes of depression.
More than low serotonin levels
Over the last decade, there has been a growing awareness that depression stems from more than just a deficiency in brain chemicals like serotonin. Scientists have discovered that the disorder is also tied to malfunctions in brain “circuitry” – the intricate pathways by which neurons communicate in the brain.
assistant professor in VCAPP. As a molecular biologist, Dong is studying the circuitry of addiction and drug-withdrawal-induced depression – specifically as it is mediated by the dynorphin system.
Shrinking brain cells
These findings are closely tied to work by Gary Wayman, assistant professor in VCAPP, who recently received a $110,000 grant from the HDRF to investigate structural changes in the brain and nerves during depression.
The protective power of play
Pharmaceuticals are not the only option for reversing brain degeneration associated with depression. Studies show that exercise, for example, can in some cases be as effective for reducing depression as medication.
Epigenetics of depression
In support of this work, Panksepp – also co-director of research of the HDRF – recently was awarded a $110,000 grant specifically earmarked for investigating the epigenetics of depression.
For the future, Panksepp hopes all of the team’s hard work pays off.
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Child abuse causes sensitivity to stress Cortisol is a hormone produced when the body is under stress – preparing it for “fight or flight.” Too much cortisol can cause anxiety and fear, so the body clears the hormone through specialized receptors in the brain. Children who were abused showed 40 percent fewer cortisol receptors than normal, leaving them more vulnerable to distress than children who had not been traumatized.
“The study extends the animal work on the regulation of stress to humans in a dramatic way,” said Panksepp. “It suggests pathways that have promoted the psychic pain that makes life intolerable.” |
Finding balance after childbirth Rebecca Craft is investigating a distinctly feminine side of depression. As a professor in the department of psychology, Craft is one of a few researchers in the nation developing animal models detailing post-partum depression.
It is estimated that around 75 percent of women experience a mild form of depression after childbirth – often called “baby blues.” Up to 15 percent of new mothers may go on to develop a more debilitating major depression – while less than one percent experience the rare and dangerous post-partum psychosis.
It has been speculated that the sudden drop in estrogen and progesterone after birth is the cause of post-partum depression, but Craft believes it is more about the balance of “positive mood and negative mood” hormones. “Prolactin and oxytocin are hormones that normally rise at the end of pregnancy and are shown to have positive mood effects,” said Craft. “The levels may stay up depending on other factors – such as breastfeeding … and the presence of the father.”
To validate her hypothesis, Craft is initially looking at each of the hormones separately. Eventually, she plans to study them all together – with the intention of countering the depressive effect of estrogen withdrawal through supplementation with oxytocin and prolactin.
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