Study Reveals How Stress Rewires Brain Circuits to Cause Anxiety and Depression

Study Reveals How Stress Rewires Brain Circuits to Cause Anxiety and Depression
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A new comprehensive review has provided a deeper understanding of how stress physically impacts the brain, causing it to be “rewired” in a way that contributes to anxiety and depression.

According to a report from Earth.com, the study, led by Bing-Xing Pan of Nanchang University, takes a circuit-based approach, shifting the focus from isolated brain regions to how networks of neurons communicate. This method links specific pathways to symptoms, revealing that hyperactivity in the prefrontal-amygdala circuit is associated with anxiety, while a reduction in function within the hippocampus-nucleus accumbens circuit is connected to anhedonia, a core symptom of depression.

This groundbreaking research could pave the way for a new field of “precision psychiatry.” Instead of using a one-size-fits-all approach, doctors may soon be able to match treatments to a patient’s unique brain activity patterns, potentially offering more effective and personalized care.