Researchers have identified a brain gene linked to anxiety, presenting a potential target for new treatments. The molecule miR483-5p suppresses the gene Pgap2, which influences anxiety-related changes in the brain. This discovery, led by teams from the Universities of Bristol and Exeter, highlights a pathway that may offer new avenues for anxiety disorder therapies, which currently affect 1 in 4 individuals at some point in their lives. Current anti-anxiety medications often ineffective, lead to low remission rates, indicating an urgent need for better understanding of the neural circuits and molecular mechanisms involved in anxiety. The study found that after acute stress, levels of miR483-5p increased in mouse amygdalae, suggesting that it acts as a protective molecular brake against stress-induced changes that contribute to anxiety. This research is significant as it unveils the miR483-5p/Pgap2 pathway that modulates the brain’s response to stress, marking a crucial step towards developing more effective anxiolytic therapies. Dr. Valentina Mosienko emphasized the importance of understanding these mechanisms for advancing therapeutic options for neuropsychiatric conditions related to stress. The findings, published on April 25, 2023, could help pave the way for novel anti-anxiety treatments.
