The disease of depression affects people all around the world. While the
acceptance of depression in west is becoming
more common in the east the
disease is not commonly acknowledged as even present unless presented as
extreme aggression or suicidal behavior. The diagnosis is not hard if the
patient’s acknowledgment or realization of the symptoms is reported to a
qualified physician. However, when diagnosed there are pharmacological
cures available. The pathophysiology is still unresolved although
serotonin signaling has been considered pivotal in the process. Serotonin
interacts with
14 different receptors on the surface of a cell. However one of these named
1B is known to regulate serotonin transmission in the brain. The role of this
receptor has been implicated in depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder,
drug addiction and aggression. A new target for drug development has
recently been identified by researches at the Rockefeller University in New
York USA. This team led by Dr. Greengard identified a protein called p11 that
interacts with serotonin 1B and influences the localization of the receptor on
the cell’s surface. The researchers analyzed tissue from a mouse model of
depression as well as post-mortem tissue from depressed human patients,
and found lower levels of p11 protein in both cases. p11 levels increased in
rats and mice that were treated with anti-depressant medications or
electroconvulsive therapy.
The researchers also developed two kinds of genetically modified mice. The
mice engineered to overexpress the p11 or did not express p11 at all. Their
studies showed that mice that over express p11 were hyperactive and, in a
test designed to identify depression in rodents, acted just like mice that were
on anti-depressant medication. On the other hand, mice without p11 showed
symptoms of depression and showed less responsivity to anti-depressant
medications.
These results are promising as they underscore a biochemical basis for
mental disorders and provide therapeutic targets for the management of
these chronic diseases.