Can a drug help prevent trauma? Study with mice suggests so
Researchers in Munich and Stockholm blocked the lifelong social cost of early adversity in mice with a single compound. The catch: it only worked when given during the trauma, not after.
A recent study in Munich and Stockholm suggests that a drug may help prevent the development of trauma. Researchers subjected mother mice to difficult early-life conditions and observed that their offspring, while initially healthy, grew up to occupy lower positions in social hierarchies. When given a drug called SAFit2, which blocks a protein called FKBP51, the mice performed as well as those not exposed to hardship.
This drug is believed to regulate cortisol receptors, which signal the body to reduce the stress response. The study, published in June, indicates that trauma prevention is possible, but it requires identifying at-risk individuals before harm occurs. Currently, the drug is not available for human use, and further research is needed to confirm its safety and effectiveness in humans.
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