| title: | Etiopathogenesis of affective disorders: focus on neurobiology, typology and dimensionality of psychobiological mechanisms of adaptation |
|---|---|
| reg no: | SF0182643s04 |
| project type: | targeted financing |
| subject: |
3. Medical Sciences 5. Social Sciences |
| status: | accepted |
| institution: | University of Tartu |
| head of project: | Jaanus Harro |
| duration: | 01.01.2004 - 31.12.2008 |
| description: | The key issues in future research on affects lie in the analysis of neurobiological domains, psychological constructs, and their associations, and of dimensional nature of affective disorders. Our main objectives: 1. Experimental and theoretical modelling of depression. 2. Elucidation of new molecular markers in models of depression, anxiety, and amotivation. 3. Analysis of interactions between catecholaminergic systems and their modulation by neuropeptides. 4. Development of psychopharmacology of individual differences. 5. Analysis of the construct "impulsiveness", association of its components with other constructs of affectiveness, and search for their neurobiological markers. Departing from our theoretical model of depression (Harro & Oreland, Brain Res Rev 2001, 38: 79-128) novel pathogenetically justified experimental models of depression will be developed by means of combining restricted selective neurochemical manipulations with chronic variable stress. Behavioural and neurochemical ex vivo and in vivo endpoints will be used. Since the spread of dysfunction between different neurochemical systems is important in affective disorders, neurotransmitter release will be monitored simultaneously in brainstem and forebrain areas by dual-probe microdialysis. Novel neurobiological mechanisms will be detected by use of a microchip to be developed within the activities of the NEWMOOD consortium of the EC Framework 6. Particular attention will be on transcription factors, focusing on these that determine the catecholaminergic phenotype of neurons. In studies on animals and humans, typology of behaviour related to adaptation to novelty, correlating individual traits in various tasks and by multifactorial analysis will be developed, with subsequent search for neurobiological correlates. |
| project group | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| no | name | institution | position | |
| 1. | Aet Alttoa | University of Tartu | magistrant | |
| 2. | Marika Eller | University of Tartu | teadur | |
| 3. | Jaanus Harro | University of Tartu | professor | |
| 4. | Riina Häidkind | University of Tartu | teadur | |
| 5. | Maiken Jaanisk | University of Tartu | magistrant | |
| 6. | Evelyn Kiive | University of Tartu | lektor (0,5) | |
| 7. | Margit Kirk | University of Tartu | laborant | |
| 8. | Maarja Krass | University of Tartu | doktorant | |
| 9. | Kadri Kõiv | University of Tartu | magistrant | |
| 10. | Denis Matrov | University of Tartu | magistrant | |
| 11. | Tanel Mällo | University of Tartu | magistrant | |
| 12. | Marika Paaver | University of Tartu | doktorant | |
| 13. | Margus Tõnissaar | University of Tartu | doktorant | |