People with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have reduced activity of the protein serum and glucocorticoid regulated kinase 1 (SGK1) in their prefrontal cortices, and experimentally reducing the protein's activity in rats leads to PTSD-like behavior, according to a new study in PLOS Biology.
Performing a whole-genome expression screen on the post-mortem brains of six subjects with PTSD, the authors found that expression of SGK1 was reduced in the prefrontal cortex by over 80% compared to controls.
To understand the cellular mechanisms at work, the authors turned to rats, and showed that those rats with lower SGK1 activity had higher levels of learned helplessness in response to a shock (a behavior thought to mimic one aspect of PTSD).
Experimentally reducing SGK1 activity in rats induced learned helplessness, while overexpressing the protein reduced it. Reducing SGK1 activity also induced several other PTSD-like behaviors, and caused cellular changes in prefrontal cortical neurons consistent with an augmented fear response.
Together, these results indicate that a reduction in SGK1 activity likely contributes to PTSD. Larger postmortem studies will be needed to confirm these findings, but if they are borne out, SGK1 or other proteins with which it is linked may provide new targets for medications to reverse the effects of PTSD.
http://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.1002282
Edited
Latest News
Why episodes of low blood s…
By newseditor
Posted 30 Jan
Personalized brain modeling…
By newseditor
Posted 29 Jan
Afternoon chemotherapy impr…
By newseditor
Posted 29 Jan
Propionic acid protects ner…
By newseditor
Posted 28 Jan
How cells prevent harmful e…
By newseditor
Posted 28 Jan
Other Top Stories
Role of ion channel, Kv7.2/7.3 in ALS
Read more
Senolytics reduce coronavirus-related mortality in old mice
Read more
Cytosolic dsDNA of mitochondrial origin induces cytotoxicity and ne…
Read more
Microglial senescence contributes to Alzheimer's pathology
Read more
Nitrous oxide at low doses could be fast, effective treatment for s…
Read more
Protocols
Machine learning prediction…
By newseditor
Posted 09 Jan
Differentiating PC12 cells…
By newseditor
Posted 09 Jan
Ultrasensitive sensors reve…
By newseditor
Posted 05 Jan
In vitro-derived medium spi…
By newseditor
Posted 04 Jan
Molecular and spatial signa…
By newseditor
Posted 30 Dec
Publications
HIF-1a accumulation in resp…
By newseditor
Posted 29 Jan
Electrical signals in the E…
By newseditor
Posted 29 Jan
Parathyroid hormone recepto…
By newseditor
Posted 29 Jan
Plasma biomarker profiles i…
By newseditor
Posted 29 Jan
Chemotherapy delivery time…
By newseditor
Posted 29 Jan
Presentations
Hydrogels in Drug Delivery
By newseditor
Posted 12 Apr
Lipids
By newseditor
Posted 31 Dec
Cell biology of carbohydrat…
By newseditor
Posted 29 Nov
RNA interference (RNAi)
By newseditor
Posted 23 Oct
RNA structure and functions
By newseditor
Posted 19 Oct
Posters
ASCO-2020-HEALTH SERVICES R…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
ASCO-2020-HEAD AND NECK CANCER
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
ASCO-2020-GENITOURINARY CAN…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
ASCO-2020-GENITOURINARY CAN…
By newseditor
Posted 10 Mar
ASCO-2020-GYNECOLOGIC CANCER
By newseditor
Posted 10 Mar