(ANSA) – ROME, APRIL 4 – A common molecule, an amino acid, has been discovered which could help stop depression: this is what emerges from a study conducted at the University of Florida and published in the journal Science. It is a common amino acid, glycine, which blocks a receptor in the brain responsible for a “slow down” signal, possibly also contributing to anxiety and other mood disorders in some people. “There are few medications for people with depression,” the authors explain. “Most of them take weeks to take effect, if at all. New and better options are sorely needed for what looms as one of the most pressing healthcare needs in the world. The number of depressed patients has increased in recent years, especially among young adults.In previous work, the experts had isolated a molecular switch, the GPR158 receptor, which induces depressive symptoms under conditions of prolonged stress.Now the experts have discovered that glycine is a ”key” of this receptor. Glycine is already being sold as a dietary supplement to improve mood. It is a building block of protein, is present in protein foods such as meat and legumes, and acts on many cell types, sometimes in complex ways. “We desperately need of new treatments for depression”, said Kirill Martemyanov, author of the work. Glycine and the GPR158 receptor could pave the way for new therapeutic approaches. (ANSA).
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