How Stress Alters Brain Reward Pathways and Affects Joy

Researchers at UC San Francisco have discovered that stress alters brain activity in mice, affecting their ability to recover from trauma. By stimulating specific neurons in less resilient mice, they were able to reduce rumination and increase pleasure-seeking behavior, suggesting potential new treatments for depression in humans. The study highlights the role of the amygdala and hippocampus in decision-making and resilience, with plans to explore similar brain patterns in humans for non-invasive depression therapies.