Depression Gene

Most research indicates that the origins of depression are found in an imbalance in neurotransmitters, the specific type of neurotransmitters – serotonin, which regulates mood, sleep, memory and more importantly it plays a role in a person’s susceptibility to depression. A study was done in 2006 by Rockefeller University researchers, identified a gene called “p11” which encodes the p11 protein is believed to be associated with serotonin transmission in the brain.

Antidepressants are commonly used in treating depression, there are different classes of antidepressants and a newer class among all is the SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), emerged in the 1990s. They work by slowing the reuptake of serotonin, leaving more of this neurotransmitter in the synapse, improving the transmission of nerve impulses. Although these antidepressant medications are generally very effective but they can take up to three to four weeks after the first dose of medication before symptoms are reduced. For some people is even longer before they start to feel better, and takes up to six months to see the maximum benefit.

Refer to a mouse study in 2006, found that low levels of p11 are likely to prevent the raising of serotonin levels from immediately curing clinical depression which leads to an idea of increasing the level of p11 and activates a serotonin receptor in the brain to produce a rapid antidepressant response. ScienceDaily (Mar. 6, 2009), “If scientists could develop drugs to target this receptor, they might produce an effect in as little as two days.”

Suggested by Svenningsson at Rockefeller, “In addition to exploring ways to increase p11 in depressed patients, it may also be possible to develop peptide-based compounds that can mimic the action of p11 to achieve a new class of anti-depressant compounds," this discovery is a big step closer for developing new depression treatments and antidepressant drugs with even fewer side effects. For long term suffers, depressions almost control their daily lives and it usually take a long time for them to re-adapt to a normal life therefore it is a good news if scientists could develop drugs that takes shorter time for suffers to feel better, without the need for early suffers to go through harmful impact and memories bring by the illness and save them lots of time and opportunities that they could have missed.

Tutor: Joy Conroy

Student: Kimberley Chow

Reference List
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090225175531.htm
http://www.blisstree.com/geneticsandhealth/p11-gene-and-depression/
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=47229
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=15178
Images:
http://www.emergencemarketing.com/images/prozac.jpg
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