NEUROPLASTICITY AND CHRONIC STRESS: MECHANISMS OF BRAIN DAMAGE AND PATHWAYS TO RECOVERY
- Authors
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Iminova Sevara Shukhratbek kizi
Tashkent State Medical University
Author
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Tairova Madina Ilkhomovna
Tashkent State Medical University
Author
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- Keywords:
- Major depressive disorder (MDD); Neuroplasticity; Chronic stress; BDNF; Hippocampal atrophy; SV2A; mTORC1; Synaptogenesis; HPA axis; Neurorestoration; Treatment-resistant depression; Biological resilience.
- Abstract
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Major depressive disorder (MDD) is increasingly recognized as a systemic pathology of impaired homeostatic neuroplasticity induced by chronic stress. This review synthesizes current evidence demonstrating how hyperactivation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis triggers glucocorticoid neurotoxicity and the profound downregulation of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF). Structurally, these molecular shifts precipitate an 8–10% volumetric deficit in the hippocampus (Videbech & Ravnkilde, 2004), alongside dendritic retraction and a reduction in synaptic density within the prefrontal cortex (PFC).
- References
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1.Duman RS, Aghajanian GK. Synaptic dysfunction in depression: potential therapeutic targets. Science. 2012;338(6103):68–72. doi:10.1126/science.1222939
2.Duman RS, Li N. A neurotrophic hypothesis of depression: role of synaptogenesis in the actions of NMDA receptor antagonists. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2012;367(1601):2475–2484. doi:10.1098/rstb.2011.0357
3.Pittenger C, Duman RS. Stress, depression, and neuroplasticity: a convergence of mechanisms. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2008;33(1):88–109. doi:10.1038/sj.npp.1301574
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- Published
- 2026-04-10
- Issue
- Vol. 2 No. 4 (2026)
- Section
- Articles
- License
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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