Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are a main line of treatment for major depression but are only 30% effective for remission. There is a need to identify effective therapies for the 70% of individuals with major depression who are not responsive to treatment with SSRIs. Dr. Albert's team addresses this problem by exploring novel treatment options in a mouse model of treatment-resistant depression. The studied mice have a genetic mutation that reduces their serotonin levels, the neurotransmitter that controls feelings of well-being and happiness. Dr. Albert's team revealed these mice to also have reduced network activity of norepinephrine, another neurotransmitter implicated in depression. When treated with the antidepressant desipramine, which targets both serotonin and norepinephrine, the mice's depression-like symptoms and norepinephrine network activity improved. Read the full publication in the Journal of Neuroscience here.
Dr. Paul Albert's Team Reveals New Insights for Treatment-Resistant Depression
uOBMRI's Dr. Paul Albert and team, including first author Dr. Faranak Vahid-Ansari, recently published new findings identifying two systems of neurotransmitters central to mouse models of treatment-resistant depression.