The Royal College of Psychiatrists in the U.K. has published its first-ever guidance to support research into psychedelic drugs as therapies for conditions including treatment-resistant depression, substance abuse disorders and posttraumatic stress disorder, saying that in a fast-moving field there is a risk of jumping ahead of the evidence.
Chengdu Kanghong Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. has described orexin OX2 receptor (OX2R; HCRTR2) antagonists reported to be useful for the treatment of secondary insomnia and major depression.
A recent study published in the journal International Immunopharmacology presents compelling preclinical evidence that NIMA-associated kinase 7 (NEK7), a key regulator of inflammation, may play a pivotal role in the pathology of depression.
Enveric Biosciences Inc. has released promising preclinical results for its lead neuroplastogen drug candidate, EB-003, in the open space forced swim test, a preclinical mouse model of severe depression and despair. In the first study, an oral dose of EB-003 at 30 mg/kg significantly reduced depression-like behavior within 30 minutes of administration.
A low-intensity transcranial ultrasound stimulation device, developed by Sonomind SAS, was proven to be safe and effective in treating patients suffering from drug-resistant depression. The results of a study published in Brain Stimulation showed a 61% reduction in the depressive symptoms of patients treated with the device over a five-day period, with no serious adverse events.
Research of the neuroimmune mechanisms involved in stress-related fear revealed how astrocytes interact with neurons in the amygdala. The study, led by Harvard scientists, also unveiled that this interaction recruited monocytes to the meninges during chronic stress and showed how psychedelic compounds reversed monocyte accumulation in the meninges and reduced fear behavior.
In the brain, molecular information is transmitted between cells through neural circuits. Synapses establish connections between the pathways that run from one area to another, allowing the most complex organ in the body to fulfill different functions. Cells and neural circuits are the basic biological elements in the study of mental illness. However, the scientific community still does not know how to interpret their role in neuropsychiatric disorders.
