Study suggests mice that are missing a stress molecule can help in developing treatments for depression

By Staff Writer

New research presented at the annual Neuroscience 2010 meeting suggests that mice who lack a molecule involved in regulating nerve cell signaling are better equipped to handle stressful situations.

Mice who do not have a molecule known as Cdk5 showed the same behaviors as those given antidepressants. The senior author of the study said that these findings could be used in the treatment of depression.

In healthy brains, when dopamine and serotonin are active, the signaling molecule cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cyclic AMP) is generated. Then phosphodiesterase is supposed to break down the cyclic AMP. However, mice without Cdk5 cannot stop cyclic AMP, and thus behave more resiliently to stress.

The researchers concluded that knowing how Cdk5 regulates phosphodiesterases could help in finding new treatments for depressed individuals.

According to research conducted by PBS, major depression affects approximately 15 million American adults or about 8 percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year. In addition, approximately 4 percent of adolescents develop serious depression each year.