Stress hormone regulation and depression ­risk – Perspectives for antidepressant treatment

An impaired stress-hormone regulation plays an important role for the development of depression. Genetic variations in the FKBP5 gene expressing a modulator of the stress hormone axis contribute in interaction with environmental stress factors to increased depression susceptibility. Successful antidepressant treatment is closely related to the recovery of the stress hormone regulation, which in turn is modulated by FKBP5 activity. Thus, FKBP5 is a promising target for future antidepressant drugs, which should be particularly effective in patients with impaired stress-hormone regulation.