Scientists May Have Discovered Depression Gene
Researchers have taken an in-depth look at the function of a gene that may be linked to the development of major depression. Their findings show that its activity levels might determine our susceptibility to stress and negative stimuli.According to the World Health Organization, around 800,000 suicides take place worldwide each year.Depression can affect the way a person performs even the most basic daily activities, and it can severely impact productivity and general well-being.Mary Kay Lobo, Ph.D., alongside other researchers from the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, conducted a study focusing on a gene known as Slc6a15. This gene has been thought to play an important role in the onset of depression, Medical News Today reported.Lobo and colleagues set out to uncover the specifics of how this gene’s activity levels might affect mood swings. Their study was published recently in the Journal of Neuroscience.In a previous study published in Nature Neuroscience, Lobo and collaborators had concluded that the Slc6a15 gene was most commonly found in a type of neuron located in the nucleus accumbens, which is a region of the brain largely responsible for the brain’s reward circuit.The neurons found in the nucleus accumbens dictate whether, and to…
Link to Full Article: Scientists May Have Discovered Depression Gene
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