Stress-Induced Depression And Comorbidities: From Bench To Bedside

Major depression (MD) is a severe, life-threatening and widespread psychiatric disorder, which is predicted to soon become one of the major causes of
death worldwide. However, despite extensive investigations, the exact mechanisms that lead to MD have not been identified. In a Special Collection to
be published this week in the online, open-access peer-reviewed journal PLoS ONE, a series of research articles highlight some of the current advances
in biological psychiatry, neuroscience, and neuroendocrinology which are shedding light on the connection between stress and depression.



The Collection (of 11 research articles), entitled, "Stress-Induced Depression and Comorbidities: From Bench to Bedside," represents the output of
a group of international research institutions, who collaborated around the causal link between stress exposure and depression vulnerability.



Dr Alessandro Bartolomucci of the University of Parma co-authored one of the research articles (Bartolomucci et al. 2009) as well as an accompanying
Overview of the topic ("Stress and Depression: Preclinical Research and Clinical Implications").



"I suggested PLoS ONE to my colleagues because as a member of the journal's Editorial Board I had the chance to see how excellent the publication
process of PLoS ONE is, as well as its impact on science and society," explained Dr Bartolomucci. "Few journals could guarantee top publication
quality, a rigorous peer review system, excellent media coverage, high scientific impact and a broad audience, all of which are particularly important
for a timely topic such as the link between stress and depression."



A second Overview article ("Conceptual Challenges of a Tentative Model of Stress-Induced Depression") was written by Professor Bernhard Baune of
James Cook University, Australia, the PLoS ONE Section Editor for Neuroscience and Psychiatry and the editor who provided editorial oversight for the
collection, as well as coordinating the peer review of the research articles.



"The papers for the collection submitted to PLoS ONE deserve timely publication as they are all reflecting forefront research in stress-induced
depression spanning from basic to clinical research," said Professor Baune. "The employed animal models represent state-of-the-art research, which
is promising for furthering the development of clinically relevant interventions in patients with stress-induced depression. All the papers are of
high quality."



Within the collection, preclinical and clinical research papers present an the results of an integrated experimental effort, employing a variety of
methods and concepts from different disciplines such as biological psychiatry, neuroscience, and neuroendocrinology and emphasizing how the link
between stress and depression can be deeper than previously understood.
















Overall, the studies presented in this PLoS ONE Special Collection propose an integrated effort indicating how to move in the direction of joint
studies. The clear message is that both preclinical and clinical research will be pivotal in clarifying the validity of stress-induced depression, in
improving predictors for treatment response, and in providing a better basis for genetic studies, as well as in stimulating new drug discovery
processes.



Citation:

Stress and Depression: Preclinical Research and Clinical Implications. Bartolomucci A, Leopardi R (2009)
PLoS ONE 4(1): e4265.
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0004265
??? Please add the link to the published article in online versions of your report: Click here to view article online



Citation:

Conceptual Challenges of a Tentative Model of Stress-Induced Depression.
Baune B (2009)
PLoS ONE 4(1): e4266.
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0004266

Click here to view article online



Research Articles


Citation:

Novel Biochemical Markers of Psychosocial Stress in Women.
??sberg M, Nygren ??, Leopardi R, Rylander G, Peterson U, et al. (2009)
PLoS ONE
4(1): e3590.doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0003590

Click here to view article online



Citation:

The Combined Dexamethasone/CRH Test (DEX/CRH Test) and Prediction of Acute
Treatment Response in Major Depression.
Sch??le C, Baghai TC, Eser D, H?¤fner S, Born C, et al. (2009)
PLoS ONE 4(1): e4324. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0004324

dx.plos/10.1371/journal.pone.0004324



Citation:

Regulation of Kainate Receptor Subunit mRNA by Stress and Corticosteroids
in the Rat Hippocampus.
Hunter RG, Bellani R, Bloss E, Costa A, McCarthy K, et al. (2009)
PLoS ONE 4(1): e4328. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0004328

Click here to view article online



Citation:

Enriched Environment Experience Overcomes Learning Deficits and Depressive-Like Behavior Induced by Juvenile
Stress.
Ilin Y, Richter-Levin G (2009)
PLoS ONE 4(1): e4329. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0004329

Click here to view article online



Citation:

Exercise Improves Cognitive Responses to Psychological Stress
through Enhancement of Epigenetic Mechanisms and Gene Expression in the Dentate Gyrus.Collins A, Hill LE, Chandramohan Y, Whitcomb D, Droste SK, et al. (2009)
PLoS ONE 4(1): e4330. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0004330

dx.plos/10.1371/journal.pone.0004330



Citation:

Metabolic Consequences and Vulnerability to Diet-Induced Obesity in
Male Mice under Chronic Social Stress.
Bartolomucci A, Cabassi A, Govoni P, Ceresini G, Cero C, et al. (2009)
PLoS ONE 4(1): e4331. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0004331

??? Please add the link to the published article in online versions of your report: dx.plos/10.1371/journal.pone.0004331



Citation:

Expression of the Axonal Membrane Glycoprotein M6a Is Regulated by Chronic Stress.
Cooper B, Fuchs E, Fl??gge G (2009)
PLoS ONE 4(1):
e3659.doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0003659
dx.plos/10.1371/journal.pone.0003659



Citation:

Opposite Effects of Early Maternal Deprivation on Neurogenesis in
Male versus Female Rats.
Oomen CA, Girardi CEN, Cahyadi R, Verbeek EC, Krugers H, et al. (2009)
PLoS ONE 4(1): e3675. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0003675

Click here to view article online



Citation:

Rhythmicity in Mice Selected for Extremes in Stress Reactivity: Behavioural,
Endocrine and Sleep Changes Resembling Endophenotypes of Major Depression.
Touma C, Fenzl T, Ruschel J, Palme R, Holsboer F, et al. (2009)
PLoS ONE 4(1): e4325. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0004325

Click here to view article online



Citation:

Chronic Mild Stress (CMS) in Mice: Of Anhedonia, 'Anomalous Anxiolysis' and Activity.
Schweizer MC, Henniger MSH, Sillaber I (2009)
PLoS
ONE 4(1): e4326. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0004326

Click here to view article online



Citation:

Timing Is Critical for Effective Glucocorticoid Receptor Mediated Repression of the
cAMP-Induced CRH Gene.
van der Laan S, de Kloet ER, Meijer OC (2009)
PLoS ONE 4(1): e4327. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0004327

Click here to view article online



About PLoS ONE


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