A research group led by Professor Norimitsu Morioka of Hiroshima University Graduate School of Medicine has confirmed that mitochondrial damage occurs in the brain and hippocampus of model mice exhibiting depression and anxiety disorders, and that preventing this with drugs improves symptoms.Furthermore, they discovered that mitochondrial disorders increase interferon, an inflammatory substance, and that administration of an antibody that neutralizes this action improves symptoms.
Various types of stress can cause depression and anxiety disorders.Chronic pain is also known to be a major source of stress and predisposes people to develop depression and anxiety disorders.Antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs are prescribed to treat depression and anxiety disorders, but about 30% of patients do not respond to these drugs. there is
This time, the research group confirmed that mitochondrial disorders occur in the brain and hippocampus using mice that exhibit depression/anxiety-like behavior due to chronic pain.Administration of curcumin (a polyphenol contained in turmeric, etc.), which improves mitochondrial function, to this model mouse improved depression and anxiety-like behavior.Furthermore, we discovered an increase in type I interferon, an inflammatory substance, associated with mitochondrial disorders.In addition, we found that intranasal administration of a neutralizing antibody against type I interferon receptors improved depression/anxiety-like behavior.
From the results of this study, it is expected that mitochondria and type I interferon will become new targets for therapeutic drugs for depression and anxiety disorders.In the future, he plans to advance research into the mechanism by which stress causes mitochondrial disorders and the mechanism by which type I interferon causes depression and anxiety disorders.
Paper information:[Experimental Neurology] Mitochondrial dysfunction and type I interferon signaling induce anxiodepressive-like behaviors in mice with neuropathic pain
