MK4MDD

Study Report

Reference
CitationTurner, 2008 PubMed
Full InfoTurner, C.A., Calvo, N., Frost, D.O., Akil, H. and Watson, S.J. (2008) The fibroblast growth factor system is downregulated following social defeat. Neurosci Lett, 430, 147-150.

Study
Hypothesis or Background The fibroblast growth factor (FGF) system has previously been found to be altered in post-mortem brains of individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD). The present study tested whether the FGF system is altered following acute social defeat.
Sample Informationrats
Method DetailRats were exposed to four consecutive days of either a social defeat paradigm or novel cages. Animals were sacrificed after the last social defeat session and gene expression was assessed in the hippocampus by mRNA in situ hybridization.
Method Keywordsin situ hybridization
ResultMolecular components of the FGF system were significantly downregulated following social defeat. Specifically, FGF2 and FGFR1 mRNA expression was decreased in various subfields of the hippocampus. Decreased tone of the FGF system following an acute social stressor is congruent with human post-mortem results of FGF system downregulation in depression.
ConclusionsThese findings suggest that modulating the FGF system may have therapeutic value in the treatment of MDD.

Relationships reported by Turner, 2008