In this file photo, children play at a city-run kids cafe in Seoul’s Jongro district on May, 26, 2022. (Yonhap)
DAEJEON, Aug. 2 (Korea Bizwire) — A South Korean research team has successfully identified the cause of childhood stress-induced mental disorders, as well as potential treatment methods that were previously unknown.
The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) research team focused on astrocytes, responsible for immune function in the brain, which excessively eliminate excitatory synapses in response to stress hormones.
By screening a clinical drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the team discovered a new operating mechanism that regulates astrocytes’ role in eliminating external substances (phagocytosis).
Consequently, the researchers found that synthetic glucocorticoids, commonly known as stress hormones, abnormally increase the phagocytosis reaction of astrocytes.
Moreover, the team confirmed that the stress hormone activates both the glucocorticoid receptors and phagocytosis receptors of astrocytes, leading to the elimination of excitatory synapses, even in human brain organoids.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
