Depression is one of the mental illnesses that many Americans are struggling with. The problem is, up to 50% of patients do not respond to antidepressants. The others struggle with conventional medication's longevity.
What is Depression?
There are several probabilities as to what can cause depression.
In one study by Paul R. Alber, Chawki Benkelfat, and Laurent Descarries, depression could be explained by abnormal brain chemistry.
Although some correlate depression with specific traumatic events, the brain's function is mostly to blame for the illness.
In an article published by Harvard Health, a chemical imbalance is a vague term for the complexities of depression. In truth, depression can be caused by faulty mood regulations, stressful life events, genetic vulnerability, medication, existing medical conditions, or a combination of all.
Definitively chemicals are involved, but they are not the sole culprit.
READ ALSO : Long Term Use of Opioids Can Lead to Depression
What is the Fastest Way to Treat Depression?
A group of researchers from the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil has set out to tackle the problems with treating depression. Using epigenetic modulators, the researchers aim to "erase" the consequences of stress.
Traumatic experiences or stressful events often trigger depression; this alters specific epigenetic markers in our brain. Many of the alterations happen in genes mostly associated with neuroplasticity-- the brain's ability to cope and respond to experiences.
Stress also increases DNA methylation that regulates gene expression that occurs in response to external stimuli. It works by remodeling the process by recruiting proteins or inhibiting the transcription factors of DNA. Antidepressants work by reducing this process.
The team, led by a professor at the University of Sao Paulo and the University of Aarhus Samia Joca, decided to conduct a thorough and in-depth investigation into brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). This protein has well-documented effects on the body's regulation of neuronal plasticity.
Researches tested the hypothesis that since stress elevates methylation of the BDNF gene, reducing its expression would be a faster way to treat depression.
Professor Joca explains that conventional drugs might take time to work due to the drug slowly eliminating stress-induced alterations in the brain. Hence, directly introducing modulation of the epigenetic mechanisms would rapidly treat depression.
In an experiment, the group tested two drugs, one used in treating cancer (gliomas), and the second was experimental. Because the medicines reduced DNA methylation, it should increase several genes' expression instead of the genes that interested the hypothesis.
Despite the findings published in the National Library of Medicine, Prof Joca stresses that results do not point to a novel antidepressant. Instead, the unique angle could be used to develop novel treatments for depression.
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