{
  "id": 847282,
  "title": "Can childhood trauma be prevented with a drug?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/14/can-childhood-trauma-be-prevented-with-a-drug-847282",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-14T06:22:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Deutsche Welle Science",
    "slug": "deutsche-welle-science",
    "url": "https://www.dw.com/en/can-childhood-trauma-be-prevented-with-a-drug/a-78301961?maca=en-rss-en-science-4552-rdf"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Researchers in Munich and Stockholm have tested the hypothesis that childhood trauma could be prevented with a drug. They began by subjecting the first days of life of mother mice to less nesting and bedding material than normal, causing the mothers to become erratic and the infants to experience unpredictable conditions. Despite appearing healthy initially, these mice grew up to occupy the lowest ranks of their social hierarchies, both as adolescents and adults. When given a drug that blocks a protein called FKBP51, known to control cortisol receptors, the pattern of social subordination disappeared. The study, led by Mathias Schmidt and Juan Pablo Lopez, suggests that early hardship causes an overproduction of FKBP51, leading to prolonged stress responses. The researchers used a compound called SAFit2, which blocks FKBP51 and was administered through breast milk to the offspring. The treated mice performed identically to those without adversity, indicating that the social cost of a hard start was erased. The drug also showed promise in reversing the broad impact of early adversity on gene activity in stress-related regions of the brain. However, the compound is currently a research tool not developed or safety-tested for human use, and its effectiveness in females is unknown. While existing treatments for stress-related disorders rely heavily on SSRIs, targeting FKBP51 could treat the cause of the disorder rather than just the symptoms. The drug would need to be administered before the damage, not after, and is at least a decade away from clinical application.",
  "summary": "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.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "DW English (Top Stories)",
        "title": "Can childhood trauma be prevented with a drug?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/14/can-childhood-trauma-be-prevented-with-a-drug",
        "published": "2026-08-14T06:22:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}