New Cambridge Research: “Love Hormone” Could Help Treat Genetic Obesity and Postnatal Depression

A newly identified gene, TRPC5, is linked to obesity, behavioral problems, and postnatal depression, with oxytocin potentially serving as a treatment.
Researchers have discovered a gene that, when dysfunctional or absent, may lead to obesity, behavioral issues, and postnatal depression in mothers. This finding, published in the journal Cell, could have significant implications for treating postnatal depression. A study conducted on mice indicates that oxytocin could help relieve these symptoms.

Obesity and postnatal depression are significant global health problems. Postnatal depression affects more than one in 10 women within a year of giving birth and is linked to an increased risk of suicide, which accounts for as many as one in five maternal deaths in high-income countries. Meanwhile, obesity has more than doubled in adults since 1990 and quadrupled in adolescents, according to the World Health Organization.