It seems that anti-depressants generate new brain cell growth. Why is this finding significant?
Antidepressants increase the presence of a growth factor in the brain, which then leads to a proliferation of new cells, according to A recent study by Yale School of Medicine researchers described the study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The study spotlighted the protein, vascular endothelial growth factor - known as VEGF, which underlie the actions of antidepressants on new cell growth and on its operations.
Since at last one in five Americans suffer depression, it is critical to understand the actions of antidepressants far better than we do currently, according to Ronald Duman, researcher at Yale.
This research fosters a better understanding many stress related problems as well.
Progress is encouraging. In a study of rodents, for instance, researchers found that VEGF levels are increased by chronic administration of certain antidepressant medications.
Similarly, blocking the effects of VEGF prevents new cell birth in response to the medications. How so? They found that stress decreased the action of VEGF in the hippocampus areas, a region of the brain involved in the control of emotion, mood, learning, and memory. Interestingly, this could contribute to the atrophy and loss of cells caused by stress and depression.
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