Foreign Media: Chinese scientists have transformed human stem cells into dopamine-producing brain cells and transplanted them into mice, successfully reducing depressive behaviors and enhancing pleasure.
These engineered neural-like cells reduced anxiety and depression-like behaviors in mouse models of depression, while increasing the sense of enjoyment. The study provides new possibilities for treating neurological and psychiatric disorders.
Depression is one of the leading causes of global disease burden, affecting hundreds of millions of people. Some patients do not respond to conventional treatments and continue to suffer from anhedonia, which is the inability to derive satisfaction from pleasurable activities. Dopaminergic neurons are responsible for secreting dopamine, which is associated with motivation, reward, and movement. Research shows that directly repairing the brain regions regulating emotions could offer a new therapy for treatment-resistant depression and related neurological and psychiatric disorders.
The study was published in "Cell Stem Cell" on August 11, providing conceptual evidence for using cell therapy to treat mental illnesses and supporting the treatment of diseases by reconstructing dysfunctional neural circuits.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1840788819184643/
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