Scientists have found that reduced energy signalling in the hippocampus of the brain can cause symptoms of depression and anxiety in mice. Stress leads to a drop in ATP levels, a molecule essential for cellular energy and cell-to-cell communication. Altering the protein connexin 43, which helps release ATP, induced similar symptoms of depression and anxiety even in the absence of stress. Restoring the function of this protein improved mood-related behaviors. This discovery suggests that energy signaling in the brain plays a key role in regulating mood and emotional behavior. The results of the study may lead to new approaches in the treatment of depression and anxiety aimed at restoring cellular energy signaling. The research was conducted in a mouse model, allowing for a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of these disorders.