Cafe Science - Of Mice and Men: The Hunt For Mood Genes April 12, 2010

Of Mice and Men: The Hunt For Mood Genes
Neurobiologist René Hen

Although depression has a distinct genetic component, efforts to identify genes that contribute significantly to this disorder have been largely unsuccessful. The emerging consensus is that multiple genes are involved and that a combination of genetic and environmental factors acting in concert determines whether an individual is likely to develop depression. Come hear about the efforts to model depression and the antidepressant response in rodents as well as the mechanisms and circuits that are believed to underlie this pathology.