(MedicalNewsToday) - Resveratrol, a compound that occurs naturally in red wine, has intrigued researchers for decades. A recent study in mice investigates how doctors might be able to use this chemical to reduce depression and anxiety.

In the United States and further afield, anxietyand depression are substantial challenges.

About 1 in 5 adults in the United States have experienced an anxiety disorder in the past year.

In addition, an estimated 7.1% of adults experienced a major depressive episode in 2017.

Some people who have anxiety or depression may benefit from medications, but they do not work for everyone.

As the authors of the current study write, "only one-third of individuals with depression or anxiety show full remission in response to these medications."

For this reason, researchers are keen to find new drugs to treat depression and anxiety.