Depression is a widespread mental illness, and current treatments don't always meet everyone's needs.
Scientists at the City University of Hong Kong discovered a tiny molecule that can help mice with stress-induced depression symptoms by preventing the formation of unpleasant memories.
This could lead to better antidepressants in the future.
How it was discovered
Professor He Jufang from CityU highlighted the urgent need for more effective depression treatments.
Previous studies connected stress to changes in the brain that relate to depression, post-traumatic stress disorders, and anxiety disorders.
The research focused on a neuromodulator called cholecystokinin (CCK) and its receptors, finding that a CCK receptor antagonist called YM022 had anti-depressant effects in mice.
The team discovered that YM022 reduced neuroplasticity-induced aversive memory formation, showing promise as a potential depression treatment with a much lower effective dose than current antidepressants.
The researchers plan to explore the precise mechanisms and potential side effects of CCKBR antagonists for future clinical trials involving humans.
