Anxiety affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide and France is no exception: 21% of adults will experience it in their lifetime, and women are twice as likely to be affected as men, according to Inserm figures. Across the Atlantic, more than forty million American adults admit to suffering from anxiety and, more worryingly, four million children.
Anxiety-inducing headlines in the media are like sessions doom scrolling enough to cause fear, but until now, we don’t know what triggered this widespread panic. Scientists believe they have found the source. We already know how to find the part of the brain where anxiety arises: in the case of stress, an overactive amygdala – the brain nucleus located in front of the hippocampus that processes emotional stimuli – triggers an inflammatory response that is responsible for anxiety disorders and depression.
Researchers from the San Juan Institute of Neuroscience in Alicante, Spain, went further. According to them, the culprit is hidden in one gene, which is named Grik4. It encodes a central nervous system protein that acts as a neurotransmitter. His exaggerated expressions stress the amygdala. Consequence: excited neurons that drive the brain become overheated neurons.
“The amygdala, especially its hyperactivity, is heavily involved in anxiety”said Juan Lerma, a neuroscientist and co-author of the study. His team genetically engineered mice to produce more Grik4. “Mice that overexpress this gene show anxiety, depression, impaired social behavior, and amygdala excitability“, he summarized.
Rats’ preferred treat
The researchers then gave the rodents a treatment that balanced Grik4 levels. What affects communication between neurons in the amygdala: traveling through neurons, messages release neurotransmitters at synapses and everything returns to normal.
To measure the effectiveness of treatment, scientists use behavioral tests and electrophysiological recordings. Before the injection, the Grik4-doped mice preferred to isolate themselves in a closed room. After gene therapy is given, the symptoms of anxiety and social withdrawal will disappear. The results, published in the journal iScience, show that simple genetic adjustments are enough to calm anxiety.
“Identifying the critical role of a small population of neurons in the amygdala circuit suggests that subtle changes can reversibly disrupt this circuit.»rejoices Juan Lerma. “This is a new approach to treating emotional disorders.”
This research, which is still in the animal stage, could one day lead to targeted treatments for human anxiety. In the meantime, mindful breathing remains the best way to reduce your worries – until new treatments come on the market.
