STRESS: WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT IT?

Stress is an response given by our human body towards an emotional or physical challenges. There are many who consider that stress is not a concerning problem & neglect how much it affects us!

Some physical symptoms of stress are; headaches , constipation , insomnia , nausea , chest pains , rapid heartbeat , low sexual appetite etc.

Our human body is a chemical warehouse , from a stimuli to an eye blink everything is governed by hormones , enzymes & other bodily chemicals. Even stress is deprival of such a chemical called Serotonin. Serotonin also called as happy chemical mainly plays a vital role keeping us in a happy state. Whatever change occurs in serotonin level in body it directly affect us , this is generally termed as "Mood swings".

The entire process inside our brain is caused by neurons, they are the nerve cells & are termed as central processing unit of brain. The function of these neurons is to carry message through an electro-chemical process. The neuron has a cell membrane surrounding it & its nucleus contains genes , it also contains other organelles such as cytoplasm , mitochondria etc.

Mitochondria in neurons are the powerhouses that generate energy to execute cellular functions and regulate neuronal survival under conditions of stress. Mitochondrial function in neurons is vital in determining how neurons cope with stress and the trajectory of aging.

Collaborative research by Prof. Vidita Vaidya and Prof. Ullas Kolthur-Seetharam groups at TIFR, along with Dr. Ashok Vaidya, at Medical Research Centre, Kasturba Health Society, has demonstrated an unusual function for the neurotransmitter serotonin, in the generation of new mitochondria a process called "mitochondrial biogenesis" in neurons, accompanied by increase in cellular respiration and ATP, the energy currency of the cell.

These effects of serotonin involve the serotonin receptor and master regulators of mitochondrial biogenesis. Serotonin reduces toxic reactive oxygen species in neurons, boosts anti-oxidant enzymes and buffers neurons from the damaging effects of cellular stress. This study uncovers an unprecedented role for serotonin in energy production in neurons directly impacting how neurons handle stress.

This work provides exciting evidence that the neurotransmitter serotonin can directly influence neuronal power plants, thus impacting the manner in which neurons grapple with stress. This work identifies novel drug targets for treating mitochondrial dysfunction in neurons, with therapeutic potential for neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders.