Researchers found brain receptors that change mood

Recently, Australian scientists and their international research team have found a receptor in a region of the brain that is believed to be related to negative emotions Targeting the receptor can effectively regulate negative emotions The research results will provide a new direction for the research and development of psychotropic drugs The results have been published in the journal Science This unique receptor is found in an area of the brain that is rarely studied, the researchers said It is known as glycine gated N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor and plays a role in regulating negative emotions NMDA usually requires two different neurotransmitters (glutamate and glycine) to bind and activate receptors The team found that the receptor needed only one neurotransmitter, glycine, to activate it Receptor control of brain function is currently the target of about 40% of related drugs, the researchers said Therefore, the discovery of this unique receptor and its effect in regulating anxiety and negative emotions mean that it may become a highly specific target of mood regulating drugs Psychoactive drugs usually have side effects This discovery is conducive to the development of more targeted drugs with fewer side effects It may also reduce the known pain causing receptor subunits in the brain to reduce pain, which will have an impact on future drug treatment