Link between noradrenergic neurons and depression vulnerability identified

Written by Alice Weatherston

A new article, published recently in Nature Neuroscience, has reported the first known connection between noradrenergic neurons and individual vulnerability to depression. The findings highlight potential new opportunities for the development of depression treatments that may target the adrenergic system. Researchers believe that responses to stressful life events are dictated by an individuals’ resilience, or their capacity to rebound from the event. However, how the concept of resilience works has yet to be uncovered. The team mimicked stressful life events in animal models and by utilizing pharmacological, genetic and optogenetic approaches, confirmed that increases in dopaminergic neuron activity were linked...

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