Targeting Intestinal Cells Could Pave the Way for Alleviating Depression and Anxiety
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New Delhi, Dec 12 (NationPress) Research indicates that developing antidepressant medications that focus on gut cells could lead to an innovative approach for treating mood disorders, including depression and anxiety.
The potential of these gut-targeted treatments may also reduce cognitive, gastrointestinal, and behavioral side effects for both patients and their children compared to existing therapies.
Mark Ansorge, an Associate Professor of clinical neurobiology at Columbia University Vagelos, stated, "Antidepressants like Prozac and Zoloft that elevate serotonin levels are vital first-line treatments and benefit many individuals, but they can sometimes induce intolerable side effects."
Ansorge highlighted that the study, published in the journal Gastroenterology, indicates that confining these medications to interact solely with intestinal cells could help mitigate these problems.
Moreover, the research suggests that this innovative method could also be advantageous for pregnant women without posing risks to their unborn child.
For over three decades, antidepressants that enhance serotonin, known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), have been the primary pharmacological options for treating anxiety and depression. However, they are known to cross the placenta, leading to potential mood, cognitive, and gastrointestinal issues later in childhood.
Conversely, not treating depression during pregnancy carries its own risks for children, according to Ansorge. "An SSRI that selectively increases serotonin in the gut might be a more effective alternative."
Interestingly, serotonin is predominantly produced outside the brain, primarily in cells lining the intestines. The team noted, "In fact, 90 percent of the body's serotonin is located in the gut."
This insight opens up the possibility that enhancing serotonin signaling in the gut could influence gut-brain communication and ultimately mood. The research team tested this hypothesis in mice.
They discovered that elevating intestinal serotonin levels leads to a decrease in anxiety and depressive behaviors in the mice.
"These findings imply that SSRIs may exert therapeutic effects by acting directly in the gut," Ansorge remarked.
The mice also exhibited no cognitive or gastrointestinal side effects typically associated with SSRIs or with increased serotonin signaling throughout their entire systems.
