Dysregulated adult hippocampal neurogenesis in major depressive disorder.

Dysregulated adult hippocampal neurogenesis in the hippocampal subgranular zone is linked to major depressive disorder, showing a stalled neurogenic process associated with stress and immune signaling.

• Why it matters: Understanding hippocampal dysfunction in MDD is crucial because it underpins cognitive symptoms and is connected to hippocampal volume reduction, but its molecular basis in humans remains unclear.
• What they did: Researchers analyzed neurogenic trajectories, gene expression, chromatin accessibility, and protein levels in nonmedicated MDD individuals, identifying a neurogenic lineage and evidence of disrupted neurogenesis.
• The result: Findings reveal impaired neurogenesis involving transcriptional regulation, stress reprogramming, and immune activation, highlighting potential therapeutic targets for hippocampus-dependent symptoms in MDD.