Comments on: New neurons buffer the brains of mice against stress and depressive symptoms http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2011/08/03/new-neurons-buffer-the-brains-of-mice-against-stress-and-depressive-symptoms/ A science salon hosted by National Geographic Magazine Fri, 24 May 2013 04:18:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.2-alpha By: katesisco http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2011/08/03/new-neurons-buffer-the-brains-of-mice-against-stress-and-depressive-symptoms/#comment-12727 katesisco Wed, 23 Nov 2011 17:13:18 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/?p=5064#comment-12727 For what its worth: regarding rats not mice: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/2011/perinatal-antidepressant-stunts-brain-development-in-rats.shtml

says rats prior and after birth given ssri show autism like behavior.

]]> By: Judith Singer http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2011/08/03/new-neurons-buffer-the-brains-of-mice-against-stress-and-depressive-symptoms/#comment-12726 Judith Singer Sat, 29 Oct 2011 19:18:38 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/?p=5064#comment-12726 Thank you, Jason, for this research and also Ed for writing about it in a way that non-neuroscientists can understand. It is highly possible that I have impaired hippocampal neurogenesis and almost certainly an undersized hippocampus due to decades of unusually high stress (with evidence of memory impairment). I have been encouraged by all the articles I’ve been reading about the possibility of increasing hippocampal neurogenesis through use of anti-depressants – but that came to a screeching halt when I read the reference to valganciclovir above. I took valganciclovir for several months as a supposed possible cure for my Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, and it made me sicker, not healthier, and I think my memory problems worsened drastically after that. Now I’m wondering if (a) the proteins with which you sensitized the cells that produce new neurons are something an ordinary person might have ingested, and (b) how large doses of valganciclovir might affect neurogenesis even in the absence of those proteins. Any ideas? Thank you again.

]]> By: Jason Snyder http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2011/08/03/new-neurons-buffer-the-brains-of-mice-against-stress-and-depressive-symptoms/#comment-12725 Jason Snyder Tue, 06 Sep 2011 21:40:05 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/?p=5064#comment-12725 Hi Mary – at this point we we really don’t know much about the process in humans. We know neurogenesis happens but that’s about it. It does seem that the process is similar in humans and animals though – for example neurogenesis decreases with age. Also, hippocampi are smaller in humans and animals that are “depressed”, which could be due to neurogenesis but it also could be due to other factors. So the available evidence suggests that studying neurogenesis in rodents will help humans but we do need more time to know exactly how relevant it will be.

]]> By: Mary Smith http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2011/08/03/new-neurons-buffer-the-brains-of-mice-against-stress-and-depressive-symptoms/#comment-12724 Mary Smith Thu, 11 Aug 2011 19:03:05 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/?p=5064#comment-12724 My question is, why do some people’s hippocampuses not regenerate neurons and others do? And if no humans do lose the ability to make new neurons, then why is this research relevant for humans?

]]> By: Jason Snyder http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2011/08/03/new-neurons-buffer-the-brains-of-mice-against-stress-and-depressive-symptoms/#comment-12723 Jason Snyder Fri, 05 Aug 2011 21:17:24 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/?p=5064#comment-12723 Ben – good eye for detail! I think you’re right about the sucrose preference test, because the mice without neurogenesis totally preferred sucrose when they weren’t liquid-deprived, when the bottles were present throughout the day and night. It was only when we reversed the sucrose & water locations that there was a problem. But I think this is consistent with a view of anhedonia that incorporates factors such as expectation and cognitive flexibility into one’s ability to obtain something rewarding (and we know that the hippocampus is important for these types of behaviors).

]]> By: Benjamin Saunders http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2011/08/03/new-neurons-buffer-the-brains-of-mice-against-stress-and-depressive-symptoms/#comment-12722 Benjamin Saunders Fri, 05 Aug 2011 03:58:08 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/?p=5064#comment-12722 Nice paper and a nice write-up, Ed.

For me the reduced sucrose preference is so interesting. The preference test isn’t really a test of hedonics, as they argue, but it does suggest something related to assigning value to rewards is out of whack. Before now I didn’t know much about the hippocampal neurogenesis–stress-depression link. I wonder how much all of this is related to appropriate versus inappropriate contextual control of emotional responses.

Oh man, I just found another paper by Snyder/Cameron showing a dissociation between rats and mice in the contribution of new hippocampal neurons to fear memory – they were more important in rats. You wonder what their Nature paper effects would look like moving up a species in terms of emotional complexity and learning capabilities.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19923282

]]> By: Noah Gray http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2011/08/03/new-neurons-buffer-the-brains-of-mice-against-stress-and-depressive-symptoms/#comment-12721 Noah Gray Thu, 04 Aug 2011 19:22:34 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/?p=5064#comment-12721 JESUS! Is that guy serious? What is with the Internet lately?? These perfectionists…anyway, I’ll stop rather than continue this YouTube-caliber comment.

]]> By: Ed Yong http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2011/08/03/new-neurons-buffer-the-brains-of-mice-against-stress-and-depressive-symptoms/#comment-12720 Ed Yong Wed, 03 Aug 2011 23:16:29 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/?p=5064#comment-12720 Mice. Changed the one mention of rats.

]]> By: Douglas S. Nau http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2011/08/03/new-neurons-buffer-the-brains-of-mice-against-stress-and-depressive-symptoms/#comment-12719 Douglas S. Nau Wed, 03 Aug 2011 23:02:17 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/?p=5064#comment-12719 Were they mice or rats? You might need a better editor.

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