New agent blocks stress response
If the body’s natural stress response gets knocked off balance, it can result in physical and mental health disorders. Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed an agent capable of selectively inhibiting this response.
In brief
- The only way to block harmful stress responses to date has involved the use of a drug that is accompanied by a host of unwanted side effects.
- Using a specific method called 'PROTAC, ETH Zurich researchers have developed a drug molecule that has a more targeted effect.
- In the future, this could enable stress-related conditions such as chronic depression to be treated much more specifically and with fewer side effects.