Depression, a disabling mental illness
Keywords:
depression, sadness, anhedonia, serotoninAbstract
Depression is currently one of the most disabling mental disorders and it is predicted to become the second leading cause of worldwide disability by 2030. Individuals affected by depression experience emotional ailments such as sadness and hopelessness, as well as physical discomforts like tiredness, and loss of appetite. Depression is caused by a reduction of serotonin levels in the brain, making it susceptible to treatment through selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI). However, 30% of the individuals with depression do not respond to the treatment, remaining disabled by the persisting symptoms. This challenge is the main motivation of our investigation. Our objective is to identify a new therapeutic drug capable of enhancing life quality for those who live with depression. Mecamylamine has been shown to exhibit antidepressant effects in animal models subjected to chronic unpredictable stress conditions. This positive outcome can be attributed to an increased activity of serotonergic neurons located in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN). These findings hold the potential to offer insights into a more optimistic future for individuals affected by major depressive disorder.
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Revista Digital Universitaria es editada por la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México se distribuye bajo una Licencia Creative Commons Atribución-NoComercial 4.0 Internacional. Basada en una obra en http://revista.unam.mx/.