Researchers at Dell Medical School have made groundbreaking discoveries in understanding the molecular differences in the brains of individuals with PTSD and depression. Utilizing multiomic analysis, they identified specific genes and pathways that differ significantly from neurotypical controls, particularly affecting immune response, neuronal regulation, and stress hormone signaling.
This illustration depicts a single cell RNA-sequencing study of PTSD, major depression and normal controls. In this plot, more than 363,000 nuclei are represented and categorized into eight broad cell types, allowing researchers to visualize the cellular and molecular changes associated with these conditions. Credit: Dell Medical School
Moreover, the study explored the intersection of brain multiomics with blood proteins, opening up the possibility of using blood-based biomarkers to distinguish risk from disease processes. This provides insight into the neurobiological alterations that underlie the development of PTSD and major depression, which will enable researchers to tailor specific novel and effective treatments for those disorders, Nemeroff said.