Major depression is one of the world''s leading causes of suffering and disability which will affect as much as 15% of our population. While numerous drugs are available to treat this disorder, they all have drawbacks including slowness of onset, failure to act in all patients and side effects which impair the quality of life. We are conducting basic research on depression using animal models in order to better understand the neurobiology underlying it so as to improve current therapies. Our group and other researchers have discovered that depression in both humans and animals results from a shift of brain activity away from areas involved in approach/reward behaviors toward areas involved in stress responses. We are currently studying the neural wiring diagrams and neurotransmitter chemistries of both the approach and stress brain networks to understand how they interact and are affected by different types of antidepressant treatments. Our studies will provide basic information that will speed the development of newer, faster and more effective and selective therapies to control depression. >