Oct 5, 2025 07:30 PM
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1100605
INTRO: Depression is a serious disorder that disrupts daily life through lethargy, sleep disturbance, and social withdrawal, and also increases the risk of suicide. The number of depression patients has steadily increased over the years, affecting more than 280 million people worldwide as of 2025. Now, researchers have uncovered a new pathological mechanism that could provide clues for the diagnosis and treatment of depression.
A research team led by C. Justin LEE and LEE Boyoung at the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) has identified a new molecular pathway in the brain that directly links abnormal sugar modifications on proteins to depressive behaviors. Specifically, chronic stress disrupts sugar chains (O-glycans) attached to proteins in the prefrontal cortex, thereby triggering depression. The findings, published in Science Advances, open new possibilities for targeted therapies for treatment-resistant depression.
Depression arises from a complex interplay of psychological, environmental, and genetic factors, and many different pathological mechanisms have been reported. However, most antidepressant drugs in clinical use focus on regulating neurotransmitters, especially serotonin. These drugs, however, benefit only about half of patients and often cause side effects such as gastrointestinal problems or worsening anxiety. This limitation underscores the need to search for new molecular pathways in the brain beyond neurotransmitter signaling... (MORE - details, no ads)
INTRO: Depression is a serious disorder that disrupts daily life through lethargy, sleep disturbance, and social withdrawal, and also increases the risk of suicide. The number of depression patients has steadily increased over the years, affecting more than 280 million people worldwide as of 2025. Now, researchers have uncovered a new pathological mechanism that could provide clues for the diagnosis and treatment of depression.
A research team led by C. Justin LEE and LEE Boyoung at the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) has identified a new molecular pathway in the brain that directly links abnormal sugar modifications on proteins to depressive behaviors. Specifically, chronic stress disrupts sugar chains (O-glycans) attached to proteins in the prefrontal cortex, thereby triggering depression. The findings, published in Science Advances, open new possibilities for targeted therapies for treatment-resistant depression.
Depression arises from a complex interplay of psychological, environmental, and genetic factors, and many different pathological mechanisms have been reported. However, most antidepressant drugs in clinical use focus on regulating neurotransmitters, especially serotonin. These drugs, however, benefit only about half of patients and often cause side effects such as gastrointestinal problems or worsening anxiety. This limitation underscores the need to search for new molecular pathways in the brain beyond neurotransmitter signaling... (MORE - details, no ads)