Brain Protein May Be Linked to Depression
Scientists have discovered a protein that seems to play a crucial role in developing depression, a finding that may lead to new treatments for the often debilitating illness — and fundamental understanding of why it strikes.
Although problems with the mood-regulating brain chemical serotonin have long been linked to depression, scientists don’t know what causes the disease that afflicts some 18 million Americans — or exactly what serotonin’s role is.
The newly found protein, named p11, appears to regulate how brain cells respond to serotonin, researchers from Rockefeller University and Sweden’s Karolinska Institute report Friday in the journal Science.
“We’re all very excited about this discovery,” said Nobel laureate Paul Greengard, a Rockefeller neuroscientist who led the research. “People have been looking for modulators of serotonin for a long time.”
(1 votes, average: 3 out of 5)
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One Comment to
“Brain Protein May Be Linked to Depression”
I only gave it 3 stars beacuse it’s left me wanting so much more information… Is there anyway we can personally regulate this protein? “appears to regulate how brain cells respond to serotonin” how??
It’s definitely important that we’re making all of these strides in clarifying depression but I feel like we’re only seeing the truth in that corner now that the spotlight is so heavily on Bipolar as the quick-diagnose/quick-fix psych issue these days.
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