Since launching the journal Nature Mental Health in January 2023, we have chosen to prioritize research in human participants. In practice, that has meant that we have published very little research that could be categorized as basic, translational or preclinical, or that relies on in vitro or animal models. However, as editors of a new journal still carving out its scope and place within the mental health research landscape, we have had to make decisions about the topical areas and types of research that we feature, and in some instances, we have come to revisit those decisions.

Although from the outside it is not always clear which journals publish papers that exclusively use animal models, it can be a reflection of specific editorial factors, such as how a journal defines its remit, purpose and readership. To tap into the full breadth of mental health research, our journal has more recently begun to consider studies in which findings in animal models are presented alongside human data. In our view, including complementary findings from animals or integrating translational components with research in humans can increase overall its impact and value while opening new avenues of exploration.

To make Nature Mental Health a better forum and publishing partner and to promote alignment in assessing the value of translational science in mental health research, we have made it a point to consult with journals with deep experience handling this work. Julio Lincinio, the editor in chief of two such esteemed journals, Molecular Psychiatry and Translational Psychiatry, provided some insights on the importance of translational science: “Translating research in psychiatry into real-world applications is vitally important. There are two main forms of translational work we need to consider and undertake. The first is moving discoveries made in the laboratory into applications that can help people. This means we must take what we've learned from using petri dishes and animal models and figure out how to apply those discoveries to the real-world problems of the human beings we claim to serve. The second kind of translational work is converting clinical trial results into daily medical practice. We may have a new treatment that looks promising and worked well in tightly controlled studies, but making it work in the messy reality of clinical practice is another matter. Brilliant ideas can falter at this stage because we didn't take real-world factors into account. Both kinds of translation are essential if we're really going to improve mental health care for the people who need it most.”

As Dr. Lincinio emphasizes, publishing work that includes translational elements comes with a mandate for authors to provide clear theoretical background and meaningful interpretation and discussion. Animal models are necessary in mental health research, as they allow the study of molecular and mechanistic pathways that underlie psychiatric conditions that cannot be easily investigated in humans. Adding context to findings is crucial when presenting the neurobiological mechanisms identified in both animals and humans in ecologically valid or behaviorally salient processes. Including high-quality and translational work within the more general mental health space drives innovation in areas such as drug discovery, development and repurposing — complex yet pivotal research functions.

The September 2024 issue of Nature Mental Health includes a powerful example of the ways in which translational work can enrich and inform mental health research and the extensions for new possible psychiatric treatments. In an Article by McGregor et al., the authors include a fascinating narrative of previous work linking the presence of an increased number and smaller size of hypocretin (Hcrt) neurons, implicated in reward processing, in the brains of mice that were administered morphine or in the brains of people who had heroin use disorder. In a series of experiments in mouse and human brain tissue, the authors demonstrate that suvorexant, a dual Hcrt receptor antagonist, can mediate opioid-induced changes to Hcrt neurons. Interestingly, coadministration of suvorexant with morphine reduced anticipatory and withdrawal behavior in mice, but preserved the analgesic effects.

In a linked News & Views, Fraigne and Peever discuss the translational value of these findings, providing additional commentary about the origins of the discovery of Hcrt neurons and their role in reward and addiction-related circuits. This piece also puts into context the individual studies detailed in the paper and suggests how these preclinical findings set the stage for testing the application of dual Hcrt receptor antagonists to mitigate addiction potential and to support pain management with opioids.

Together, these two pieces represent how Nature Mental Health hopes to incorporate translational research and to frame the findings within the journal. Savvy readers are surely aware that there are many journals that publish translational research and some that are dedicated to doing so. However, our intention is to publish translational work that may also be transformative. To do that, we feel that there is a need to continue building bridges — by contextualizing findings, strengthening the accessibility and interpretability of this work, and bringing multidisciplinary researchers and readers together in the service of finding new ways for treating psychiatric disorders and improving mental health.