BBC Science Focus - 10.2019

DISCOVERIES

A protein that is found naturally in

the brain could decrease behaviours

associated with anxiety, according

to US researchers. The protein,

neurotrophin-3, was found to stimulate

neurons to grow and connect within

the dorsal amygdala – an area of the

brain involved in emotional responses.

The team selected a group of young

rhesus macaques who displayed

signs of ‘dispositional anxiety’ – the

tendency to feel unduly anxious, or

perceive a wide range of situations

as threatening. They were able to

identify neurotrophin-3 as one of

the molecules related to this type of

CPZKGV[6JG[WUGFCOQFKGFXKTWUVQ

boost levels of the protein within the

dorsal amygdala, and found that the

macaques’ anxiety decreased.

p0GWTQVTQRJKPKUVJGTUVOQNGEWNG

that we’ve been able to show in a

non-human primate to be causally

related to anxiety,” said Andrew Fox,

co-author of the study and assistant

professor in the department of

psychology at University of California,

Davis. “It’s one of potentially many

molecules that could have this effect.

There could be hundreds or even

thousands more.”

It is estimated that some three

million people in the UK have an

anxiety disorder, and more than 1 in

10 of us are likely to have a disabling

anxiety-related condition in our

lifetime. “These disorders are some

of the leading causes of disability and

days lost to disability,” said Fox.

Currently, patients living with anxiety

are offered a range of treatments to

manage their condition, but there are

no guaranteed routes to overcoming the

disorder permanently.

A treatment

for anxiety is

all in the mind

NEUROSCIENCE

GET T Y IMAGES X3, ALAMY, CARLYN IVERSON/WNOAA CLIMATE.GOV, NASA

Macaques suer from

anxiety too

Boosting levels of a protein

that stimulates neuron growth

could o￿er new hope

DISCOVERIES

A protein that is found naturally in

the brain could decrease behaviours

associated with anxiety, according

to US researchers. The protein,

neurotrophin-3, was found to stimulate

neurons to grow and connect within

the dorsal amygdala – an area of the

brain involved in emotional responses.

The team selected a group of young

rhesus macaques who displayed

signs of ‘dispositional anxiety’ – the

tendency to feel unduly anxious, or

perceive a wide range of situations

as threatening. They were able to

identify neurotrophin-3 as one of

the molecules related to this type of

CPZKGV[6JG[WUGFCOQFKGFXKTWUVQ

boost levels of the protein within the

dorsal amygdala, and found that the

macaques’ anxiety decreased.

p0GWTQVTQRJKPKUVJGTUVOQNGEWNG

that we’ve been able to show in a

non-human primate to be causally

related to anxiety,” said Andrew Fox,

co-author of the study and assistant

professor in the department of

psychology at University of California,

Davis. “It’s one of potentially many

molecules that could have this effect.

There could be hundreds or even

thousands more.”

It is estimated that some three

million people in the UK have an

anxiety disorder, and more than 1 in

10 of us are likely to have a disabling

anxiety-related condition in our

lifetime. “These disorders are some

of the leading causes of disability and

days lost to disability,” said Fox.

Currently, patients living with anxiety

are offered a range of treatments to

manage their condition, but there are

no guaranteed routes to overcoming the

disorder permanently.

A treatment

for anxiety is

all in the mind

NEUROSCIENCE

GET T Y IMAGES X3, ALAMY, CARLYN IVERSON/WNOAA CLIMATE.GOV, NASA

Macaques suer from

anxiety too

Boosting levels of a protein

that stimulates neuron growth

could o￿er new hope