The mechanism of depression is revealed and the reason why medications often don't work
2026-04-25 12:49:36
TiranaPost
Depression comes suddenly, invading our brains. It sets in by cutting us off from the world and making us live under a constant veil of sadness. The profile of depression is known, but until yesterday the biological mechanism that causes it was not clear. An Italian study sheds light on the reasons why some of the most commonly used drugs do not provide the expected effect, shifting the focus to the prefrontal cortex. "Now the way is opened for new therapies," the researchers emphasize.
According to new Italian research, conducted by the Cavalieri Ottolenghi Neuroscience Institute (NICO) of the University of Turin and published in Scientific Reports, there is a key process through which depression affects our cerebral activity, leading us to a state of apathy.
Depression affects more than 300 million people worldwide and about 6% of Italians, with higher concentrations in young people (18–34 years old) and the elderly.
Depression is not only related to "serotonin deficiency" as has been thought for years.
The new study says something else more concrete:
In a part of the brain called the prefrontal cortex (the area that deals with decisions, emotions, and rational thought), neurons in people with depression do not function properly.
Specifically, they are "weaker" and fail to send electrical signals properly.
As a result, the brain does not process emotions and information well, and this leads to a severe feeling of depression.
Why don't medications often work?
Because most current medications focus on serotonin (a chemical in the brain), the problem may lie elsewhere: in the way the neurons themselves work in this area.
What does the new study reveal?
The problem is also related to certain "potassium channels" in neurons (they are like gates that control electrical signals).
When these don't work well, neurons become less active.
This explains why some new treatments, such as magnetic brain stimulation, are effective because they "awaken" this area.
