Anxiety disorders affect about one in five people in the United States. New research at the University of Utah looks at how anxiety can start in the brain.
The scientists studied microglia, immune cells that live in the brain. Earlier work showed that blocking a group called Hoxb8 microglia made mice act anxious, but blocking all microglia left mice normal. To learn more, the team put different microglia types into mice that had no microglia.
Mice with only non-Hoxb8 microglia showed anxious signs like compulsive grooming and less time in open spaces. Mice with only Hoxb8 cells did not show those signs. The researchers say humans have similar microglia and that future therapies might target these cells, but treatments are not near-term.
Difficult words
- researcher — A person who studies a specific topic.Researchers
- control — To have power over something or someone.
- anxiety — A feeling of worry or nervousness.anxious
- discovery — Finding something new or important.
- improve — To make something better.
- condition — A state of health or situation.conditions
- active — Doing something; not inactive.
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think understanding brain cells is important for treating anxiety?
- How can this discovery affect anxiety treatment in humans?
- What other conditions do you think could be studied in a similar way?
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