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EPFL, Lausanne: life sciences building

Lausanne, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Researchers at the Mind-Brain Institute at EPFL in Lausanne have targeted a molecule called MIF, or macrophage migration inhibitory factor, as the potential key to new treatments for depression, a disorder where only 60-80 percent of cases are treated successfully with medication and therapy. Two laboratories at the institute, created at EPFL in 2007, have been involved in pinpointing and manipulating MIF to more clearly understand its role. Their findings were published 23 February in Molecular Psychiatry and updated 10 April.

The precise location and function in the brain of MIF were a mystery before Carmen Sandi’s team in the laboratory of behavioural genetics at EPFL detected a concentration of MIF protein in stem cells in the hippocampus. “This is a key area in the brain for memory formation and neuron generation during adulthood,” EPFL reports.

“New neurons are thought to be linked to the creation of new memories but they may also play an important role in curbing anxiety—previous studies have shown that prolonged periods of stress reduce neurogenesis, and many anti-depressants actually boost the production of new neurons.”

The team discovered that the absence of MIF significantly reduces the production of neurons and increases anxiety, and that the lack of MIF decreases the ability of anti-depressants to stimulate neurogenesis. They have concluded that MIF plays an important role in neurogenesis, anxiety and depression.

“These findings underscore MIF as a potentially relevant molecular target for the development of treatments linked to deficits in neurogenesis, as well as to problems related to anxiety, depression, and cognition,” says Sandi. The second EPFL team, from the laboratory of molecular neurobiology and functional neuroproteomics, had already been working on MIF, but in coordination with the other team, has been researching new treatment options with the MIF molecule.