New study of brain circuits finds key links to symptoms of depression

(University of California - San Diego) Scientists have linked specific wiring in the brain to distinct behavioral symptoms of depression. In a study published in Cell, researchers at UC San Diego found brain circuits tied to feelings of despair and helplessness and were able to alleviate and even reverse such symptoms in mice studies. Two populations of neurons were identified in the brain's ventral pallidum region (part of the basal ganglia) as key to underlying depressive behavior.
Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news