PE 22-28 and the TREK-1 channel blockade research

Posted by restlessemma in Research & News - 2 points, 0 comments.

I was reading up on some of the newer neuroplasticity research and keep seeing PE 22-28 mentioned in the context of spadin derivatives. It is still in the preclinical stage, but the idea of blocking the TREK-1 potassium channel to drive synaptogenesis is pretty wild. Most of the stuff we talk about for mood or cognitive support takes weeks or months to even feel a shift, but the animal models for this suggest much faster antidepressant-like effects.

I find the mechanism interesting because it is so specific compared to the blunt force of traditional SSRIs. However, since it is still just preclinical, I am a bit skeptical about how it will translate to humans without significant side effects. We do not really know the safety profile for TREK-1 inhibition in a living human brain yet. It sounds like a beauty for research, but I wonder if the rapid neurogenesis might come with its own set of stability issues or overstimulation.

Imo we should stay cautious until we see actual human data on how it affects neuroplasticity long term. Has anyone else been following the spadin derivative papers, or do you think the TREK-1 angle is overhyped right now?

Community discussion - research and educational context only. Not medical advice.