In a recent study by Orellana et al. (2015), we reported from ex-vivo hippocampal slices that acute 2 h restraint stress in mice induces opening of astroglial Cx43 hemichannels, while chronic 10-day immobilization stress—a model used to induce depression in rodents—leads to increased opening of Cx43 hemichannels, and recruitment of astroglial Panx1 channels. Here, GJA1 is linked to major depressive disorder.