June 1, 2009 A recent study finds that the antidepressant
effects of drugs like Prozac involve both neurogenesis-dependent
and -independent mechanisms, a finding that may lead to
development of better treatments for depression and anxiety. The
research, published in the May 28th issue of the journal Neuron,
utilizes a new experimental mouse model of depression/anxiety
that is the first to permit simultaneous examination of multiple
effects of antidepressant treatment in the same animal. The
specific molecular influences of selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitors (SSRIs) and other types of antidepressants commonly
prescribed for treatment of depression and anxiety disorders are
not well understood. "Recently, compelling work in rodents has
suggested that SSRIs may stimulate changes in a brain region
called the hippocampus as well as other brain structures," says
study author Dr. Denis J. David from the University of Paris-
Sud. "For example, anxiety/depression-like changes in behavior
have been linked with a de