UCLA Finds Brain Cell Change That Could Ease Anxiety

Scientists at UCLA Health just identified a small but powerful change that happens in our brains when we're stressed, and the discovery could lead to new ways to treat anxiety and depression.

The research team found that star-shaped support cells called astrocytes in the brain's fear center undergo specific changes during chronic stress. Most surprising was what happened to their primary cilium, a tiny antenna-like structure that helps cells sense their environment: it physically shrinks.

"We've mostly thought about stress and mood disorders in terms of neurons firing signals to each other," said Sara Gutierrez Pelaz, a UCLA postdoctoral researcher. "Our findings show that a different type of brain cell, and a structure on that cell most people have never heard of, also plays a role in how the brain responds to stress."

The team studied mice experiencing chronic stress and watched these cellular antennas get shorter in the amygdala, the brain region governing fear and emotion. When researchers found ways to restore the cilia to their normal length, something remarkable happened: the mice showed fewer signs of anxiety and regained interest in activities they'd previously enjoyed.

Even better, the researchers discovered that a drug already approved by the FDA for multiple sclerosis, called ponesimod, produced similar improvements when given to stressed mice. The drug targets a receptor called S1PR1, which exists in human brain tissue too.

To confirm their findings might apply to people, the team examined brain tissue from humans with major depression, bipolar disorder, and psychosis-related conditions. They found the same cilium-related disruptions, suggesting this mechanism isn't just happening in mice.

The Bright Side

This discovery matters because current treatments for anxiety and depression don't work for everyone. By identifying a specific cellular structure that changes with stress and can be restored, scientists now have a completely new angle to explore, one that's already connected to an approved medication rather than starting from scratch.

The research is still early and more studies will determine whether this approach can help people struggling with stress-related conditions. But after decades of focusing almost exclusively on neurons, this fresh perspective on support cells opens doors that weren't visible before.