New brain cell formation stalls in adults with depression, study shows

medicalxpress - Findings from a new study by researchers at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons suggest that the trickle of neurons created in the adult hippocampus could be instrumental in preventing depression. Most of the brain's 100 billion…

AI Summary: Studies report that adults with major depressive disorder show reduced generation of new neurons in the hippocampus, suggesting impaired adult neurogenesis may underlie persistent symptoms. Findings provide a biological clue to treatment resistance and point toward therapies that could restore brain plasticity — promising, and mildly depressing for depression itself.