UT Southwestern mouse study suggests link between brain characteristics and stress, depression

by John P. Meyer

One interesting finding of a brain study being carried out by Dr. Eric Nestler and his research team at UT Southwestern Medical Center is that genetically identical mouse individuals (i.e., mice) can react differently in response to an identical stressor.

The mice who (which?) coped better with the stress (represented in this case by the introduction of a more aggressive "stranger" mouse into their comfortable mouse environment) were more attracted to sugar than to cocaine, it turns out - unlike their more stress-affected genetically-identical twins, who went for cocaine over the sugar. (No word as to whether the Mickeys are freebasing, snorting or injecting. The sugar, I mean...)

Wait a minute. What the... COCAINE?! What in the name of all that's holy are these high-powered academician medicos doing giving research mice a choice between sugar and cocaine? (Inquiring minds...)

Cocaine preferences aside, the study (which appears in its thrilling entirety in the current issue of Cell) concludes that "preventing BDNF signaling to the nucleus accumbens may be a key mechanism of resistance to stress and depression." Which is Dr. nestler's arcane yet technically correct way of saying that the mice who tend to cope less successfully with stress (and thus prefer the prescribed white powder to the freely-available one) fire off neurons to portions of their brains that result in pleasure feedback.

Which is a result that you (and any mice buddies you might have around) don't necessarily want in cases where your social functionality is being actively and progressively undermined.