http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. Through a series of investigations in mice and humans, Johns Hopkins researchers have identified a protein that appears to be the target of both antidepressant drugs and electroconvulsive therapy. Results of their experiments explain how these therapies likely work to relieve depression by stimulating stem cells in the brain to grow and mature. In addition, the researchers say, these experiments raise the possibility of predicting individual people's response to depression therapy, and fine-tuning treatment accordingly. Reports on separate aspects of the research were published in December on the Molecular Psychiatry website, and will also appear in the Feb. 7 issue of Cell Stem Cell. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-uncovers-key-antidepressant-response.html Psychology & Psychiatry Thu, 07 Feb 2013 12:00:01 EST news279448470 Horrific images from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest notwithstanding, modern electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) remains one of the safest and most effective antidepressant treatments, particularly for patients who do not tolerate antidepressant medications or depression symptoms that have failed to respond to antidepressant medications. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-declining-access-electroconvulsive-therapy-clinical.html Psychology & Psychiatry Thu, 10 Jan 2013 11:08:07 EST news277038479