Researchers from Umeå University, Sweden, in collaboration with Antwerp University, Belgium, have found a hereditary factor that is involved in the development of depression. Their study shows that a protein called TPH-2 plays a role in the development of both depression and manic depression.
The signal substance serotonin plays a significant role in brain functions. The level of serotonin in the brain has been shown to affect our emotions and moods.
The serotonin level in the brain is important in protecting against depression. Modern medicines for depression, so-called SSRI medicines (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors), work by raising the level of serotonin in the brain. The protein TPH-2 (brain-specific tryptophan hydroxylase), which is important for the regulation of the serotonin level in the brain, has long been suspected of playing a key role in the development of depression and manic depression.
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