In a mouse model of depression, Tak Pan Wong and colleagues at Douglas Hospital Research Centre tagged the engrams that formed after mice experienced social stress and examined their social avoidance behavior. Even though all mice experienced the same stressor, only some displayed depression behaviors, indicating a predisposition to developing depression.
‘The depression-prone mice displayed higher concentrations of engram cells compared to the less susceptible mice, and the density of the cells correlated with the level of social avoidance behavior.’
Activating the engram cells increased social avoidance behavior while suppressing the cells decreased it, suggesting a role in the cognitive symptoms of depression.
Source: Eurekalert
