Opn5

Neuropsin is a protein that in humans is encoded by the OPN5 gene. Research has shown that the activity of the neuropsin protein in the human brain determines patterns of stress behavior, a signaling pathway that makes some people more vulnerable to stress. People have to face all kinds of pressure every day. Some people are nervous, and then suffer from depression, anxiety and other mental illness. The pathogenesis of this difference is unclear. After four years of research, researchers found that when people feel stressed, the amygdala produces more neuropsin, triggering a series of chemical reactions that activate genes involved in the behavioral mechanisms of stress. Through experiments, the researchers demonstrated the relationship between the neuropsin protein pathway and the behavioral patterns of stress. The researchers put mice in a maze space to observe their stress patterns. They found that in open, highly lit areas, the mice felt stressed and panicked, and sought to escape. When mice whose amygdala-producing neuropsin protein was inhibited by drugs or genes, they showed no similar pattern of stress behavior in the same area. The researchers concluded that the activity of the neuropsin protein determined the mice's stress tolerance, which in turn determined its stress behavior. The researchers believe that the neuropsin protein pathway in the human brain plays a similar role in determining the pattern of stress behavior. The discovery of this signaling pathway offers new possibilities for the prevention and treatment of stress-related mental disorders, such as depression and post-traumatic stress, while further research is needed to develop practical interventions to control stress behavior.