Scientists discover depression molecule

Scientists say they have found the part of the brain that makes us feel miserable, anxious and stressed. A British research company has located a protein related to depression called CRF1. The protein is important in controlling how the body reacts to stress. It is linked to stress-related diseases such as depression and anxiety. The team used a powerful x-ray machine in its research. Researchers said this greater understanding could lead to new drugs for depression.

Britain's National Health Service (NHS) warned people with depression not to get too excited about this research. It questioned whether one molecule could lead to depression, which comes from many chemicals. The NHS was surprised at how newspapers built the story up. One newspaper reported that CRF1 was, "the protein involved in all our feelings of stress". The NHS said: "It's a great headline, but a hugely sweeping claim."