A new study has found that restoring certain signals in the brain region that processes smell can counter depression. Researchers from NYU Grossman School of Medicine and the University of Szeged in Hungary discovered that the timing and strength of gamma signals in the olfactory bulb can alter emotions. The study used a reversible method to switch off the communication between the olfactory bulb and partner brain regions, which induced depressive behaviors in mice and rats. However, restoring gamma signals of the brain at their natural pace using a device was able to reduce depressive behaviors by 40%. The findings could provide a potential new approach for countering depression and anxiety when medication is not effective. Further studies are needed to understand the link between firing patterns of gamma waves and emotions. As a psychiatrist, these findings are promising for developing new therapeutic approaches for treating depression.
Dr Jennifer Anne Johnson, MD, Cure of Mind