神经精神药理学研究方向，目前主要集中在对抑郁症新的发病机制和新的药物靶标的探究和解析，以及抗抑郁创新药物的药理学研究方面。具体研究内容如下：
1. 抑郁症新的发病机制和新的药物靶标的研究：主要是基于缝隙连接蛋白Cx43介导的星形胶质细胞间缝隙连接功能和半通道功能研究抑郁症的发病机制、对应激敏感和抵抗机制以及抗抑郁药物治疗敏感和抵抗机制的探讨、糖皮质激素受体与抑郁症的关系研究等。
2. 抗抑郁创新药物的药理学研究：主要研究人参皂苷Rg1等天然产物的抗抑郁作用机制、选择性PDE4D抑制剂、快速起效抗抑郁药以及以Cx43为靶点的抗抑郁创新药物的寻找和药效及机理研究。

1. Lai HQ, Fan PL, Zhang PX, Zhang M, Li XM, Kuang BY, Zhou R, Wang WF, Jiang H, Wang ZZ*, Chen NH*. Targeting complement C3 with Tanshinone I decreases microglia-mediated synaptic engulfment to exert antidepressant effects. Theranostics, 2025; 15(16): 8150-8175. (IF= 13.3)
2. Wang HQ, Wang ZZ*, Chen NH*. The receptor hypothesis and the pathogenesis of depression: Genetic bases and biological correlates. Pharmacological Research, 2021; 167: 105542. (IF= 10.5)
3. Wang HQ, Zheng RF, Ai QD, Yang SW, Yang XY, Chen AP, Yan Q, Yan X, Zhang Z, Xing JG, Chu SF, Wang ZZ*, Yang YT*, Chen NH*. Ginsenoside Rg1 alleviates chronic stress-induced depression in rats by targeting Cx43-YAP axis. Acta Pharmacologica Sinica, 2025; 46(7): 1877-1891. (IF= 8.4)
4. Zhang NN, Zhang Y, Wang ZZ*, Chen NH*. Connexin 43: Insights into candidate pathological mechanisms of major depressive disorder and its potential pharmacological roles for antidepressants. Acta Pharmacologica Sinica, 2022; 43(10):2448-2461. (IF= 8.4)
5. Wang ZZ, Zhang Y, Liu YQ, Zhao N, Zhang YZ, Yuan L, An L, Li J, Wang XY, Qin JJ, Wilson SP, O’Donnell JM, Zhang HT, Li YF*. RNA interference-mediated phosphodiesterase-4D splice variants knockdown in the prefrontal cortex produces antidepressant-like and cognition-enhancing effects. British Journal of Pharmacology, 2013; 168: 1001-1014. (IF= 7.7)
6. Wang HQ, Yang XY, Lai HQ, Sun Y, Yan X, Ai QD, Lin MY, Yang SW, Yang YT, Chu SF, Wang ZZ*, Chen NH*. Novel antidepressant mechanism of hypericin: Role of connexin 43-based gap junctions. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, 2023;167:115545. (IF= 7.5)
7. Zhang NN, Jiang H, Wang HQ, Wang YT, Peng Y, Liu YB, Xia CY, Yan X, Chu SF, Zhang Y, Wang ZZ*, Chen NH*. Novel Antidepressant Mechanism of Ginsenoside Rg1 in Regulating the Dysfunction of the Glutamatergic System in Astrocytes. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2022; 24(1):575. (IF= 5.6)
8. Wang HQ, Yang SW, Gao Y, Liu YJ, Li X, Ai QD, Lin MY, Yang YT, Zeng Q, Zhang Y, Wang ZZ*, Chen NH*. Novel antidepressant mechanism of ginsenoside Rg1: Regulating biosynthesis and degradation of connexin43. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2021; 278: 114212. (IF= 5.4)
9. Xia CY, Chu SF, Zhang S, Gao Y, Ren Q, Lou YX, Luo P, Tian MT, Wang ZQ, Du GH, Tomioka Y, Yamakuni T, Zhang Y, Wang ZZ*, Chen NH*. Ginsenoside Rg1 alleviates corticosterone-induced dysfunction of gap junctions in astrocytes. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2017; 208: 207-213. (IF= 5.4)
10. Wang YC, Chen NH*, Wang ZZ*. Connexin 43 hemichannel-mediated ATP release in depression: recent advances and mechanistic insights. Life Sciences, 2025; 382: 124047. (IF= 5.1)