Scientists have developed a new nasal spray which they claim could help beat depression and anxiety within two hours.
The spray, which contains a natural brain chemical, is designed to penetrate the brain areas involved in mood. According to researchers, the spray could be effective within two hours, compared to other antidepressants which take several days to work, the Daily Mail reported.
It is estimated that one in four women and one in ten men will require treatment for depression at some time in their lives. One of the downsides of anti-depressants is that they can take a long time to work — between two and eight weeks.
In a trial at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, researchers are investigating the use of the spray containing neuropeptide Y — the chemical which is used by nerve cells in the brain to communicate with each other. According to scientists, some of the brain chemicals, especially the “neuropeptide Y”, are thought to be involved in how the brain regulates behaviour and mood.
This compound is the most abundant peptide in the human brain, and is found in nerve fibres alongside another chemical called norepinephrine, which is thought to be involved in regulating mood and anxiety.
Past research has also shown that stress leads to the release of the chemical, and a recent study by University of Michigan found that people with low neuropeptide levels may be at higher risk of developing depression. Though research has suggested neuropeptide Y may be effective for treating psychiatric disorders, there have been problems in moving the compound into the brain.