Research  exploring how stress alters brain function—leading to anxiety, depression, and other stress-related mood disorders—may aid in the development of more effective interventions for stress-related disorders.

In neuroscience, stress is generally defined as any kind of change that causes physical or psychological strain. Recent research provide clues as to how different kinds of stress alter genes and brain function—clues that may explain behavior and mood changes in stress-related disorders.

Brain cells that produce serotonin may be critical for stress to affect mood and behavior. Researchers found that "silencing" serotonin cells blocked increased fear behaviors in stressed mice.

In another study, researcher found that 1n extra copy of a single gene, general transcription factor II-I (GTF2I), is linked to separation anxiety in both mice and humans.

The effects of prenatal stress can be passed across generations in male mice. A separate study suggested that epigenetics are to blame for disruptions in male brain development in mice that experienced prenatal stress and their offspring.

Female mice with a modification in the serotonin transporter gene are particularly vulnerable to prenatal stress. This finding suggests that vulnerability to emotional disorders is determined by a complex interaction of genes and environment, including prenatal stress.

"Specific types of stress are a serious risk factor for many psychiatric and physical illnesses, including quite common ones such as depression and heart disease," says Klaus A. Miczek, PhD, of Tufts University. "Understanding the underlying mechanisms of stress will help identify novel targets for treating these illnesses, thus improving the health and lives of millions of people."

Release Date: Nov. 15, 2011
Source: Society for Neuroscience