A new study revealed the biological mechanism that makes adolescents more vulnerable to depression compared to boys.
The study was conducted by researchers from the Institute of Psychiatry in Kings College London in the United Kingdom, and the study was published in the Journal of Biological Psychiatry on March 24, and the Yorik Alier website was written about.
Depression is a mental illness that affects 280 million people around the world. It is more common in women, and this pattern begins to develop during adolescence.
The researchers previously studied the biological processes that cause depression in adults, and have shown a likely role of a biological path known as the Kynurenine Pathway.
“The adolescence period is witnessing many changes in the brain and body, but we still do not know much about the potential biological factors of depression, and how it can affect the difference between boys and adolescent girls,” said Professor Valeria Mondrili, a professor of psychological immunology at the Kings Institute of Psychiatry from the United Kingdom.
The role of the course of kinorenin
The course of the kinorenein is known as a series of chemical reactions that analyze the tryptophan, which is amino acid and an essential unit in the construction of protein. The body uses tryptophan to produce serotonin, which is a chemical in the brain that helps regulate mood, sleep, and feel comfortable.
Terboptophan decomposition in the brain can occur in two different ways: the first is produced by useful chemicals for the brain (protecting nerves), and the second produces chemicals that may harm the brain (harmful to nerves). This process includes many secondary products, including Kynurenic acid and kinolinic acid.
The study indicates the role of cineneinin in the development of depression during adolescence years, and this can help to understand the reason for the high rate of infection among girls.
Is kinorinic acid associated with depression?
The researchers conducted the study using blood tests, through which they evaluated the acid levels of quinorinic and quinolinic in 150 Brazilian teenagers, between the ages of 14 and 16, to understand how these chemicals are linked to depression in boys and girls.
Section of teenage researchers To 3 groups: A group that includes people with a low risk of depression, and the second group includes those with a high risk degree to depression, while the third group includes adolescents who were depressed.
Adolescents have been tracked over a period of 3 years to evaluate if symptoms of depression are ongoing or witnessed any improvement.
The researchers found that teenagers are more likely to develop depression, or who were directly diagnosed with it, had lower levels of quinorinic acid, which is a protective acid for neurons and a beneficial brain, compared to those who were classified as less at risk. This link was particularly strong among girls.
The study concluded that girls and women may be more vulnerable to the harmful effects of the imbalance of the encephalinin in the brain.
Dr. Nikha Nikhsal, a researcher at the King’s Psychiatric and behavioral medicine center, stated that she hopes this research helps in identifying people at risk of chronic depression, especially among female Kinorinine, starting from medications to lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise.