Abstract
Depression is a significant global health issue, affecting millions of people worldwide, and is recognized as a leading cause of disability. Researchers are exploring how genetic and environmental factors contribute to depression, noting that about 30% of the risk is genetic, and the rest is chronic stress exposure. Recent studies highlight the importance of noncoding RNA genes—previously dismissed as “junk” DNA—in regulating brain function and influencing depression. There is a whole kingdom of RNA molecules that are not templates for protein; that, as a result, are called noncoding RNA. Here, I discuss evidence showing how noncoding RNAs play an important role in the brain in depression. Such RNA levels are also altered in depression in body fluids, including within miniature compartments called extracellular vesicles. Researchers are now investigating which noncoding RNAs contribute to the development of depression in the brain and if RNA found in body fluids can be used as a diagnostic biomarker. After the COVID-19 pandemic, which gave RNA therapeutics and diagnostics a boost, the hope for future RNA-based clinical tools for depression and other mental health conditions is higher than ever.
Published Version
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