Epigenetic Impacts Of Paternal Experience On Offspring Anxiety And Cognition: Molecular Mediators And Therapeutic Targets
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$681,162.00
Summary
Stress and physical activity are two of the major lifestyle factors impacting on human health, including brain disorders. We have recently discovered that stress and exercise in male mice can impact the phenotype of offspring. We will study molecules in the sperm of these fathers, and in the brains of offspring to understand the mechanisms involved. There is evidence that lifestyle factors in men prior to conception impact on their children and this research has major public health implications.
Trauma is responsible for a significant amount of mental health problems worldwide. Increasing disasters, violence, and war lead to much trauma in the communities. Unfortunately, most affected people do not receive much-needed care. This Program builds on discoveries from basic science to develop and evaluate clinical and population-based programs to address the range of posttraumatic mental health needs in both Australia and globally.
Chronic or extreme reactions to stress can lead to pathological conditions such as long term anxiety states, depression and panic disorders. Stress related disease also contributes to other major health problems such as heart disease and disorders of the immune system. These disease states include some of the major medical problems of our times. This proposal is to define genes which may be involved in stress responsiveness, to further understand and treat stress related disease.
Transgenerational Impacts Of Paternal Stress On Offspring Mental Health: Epigenetic Mechanisms And Therapeutic Interventions
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$572,941.00
Summary
We are following up the extraordinary, almost ‘Lamarckian’, discovery that environmental influences on fathers can affect their offspring via ‘epigenetic’ changes to the sperm. We will explore mechanisms whereby increased levels of paternal stress can cause behavioural changes in the offspring, which are relevant to depression and anxiety disorders, and how positive environmental factors, including physical activity, may induce beneficial effects. This will have major public health implications.
THE NEUROBIOLOGICAL BASIS OF INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN SUSCEPTIBILITY TO THE CONSEQUENCES OF STRESS
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$583,875.00
Summary
Stress plays a major role in the development and progression of many different mental health disorders. However, as we all know, the effects of stress on one person can be very different from its effects upon another. This is at least partly explained by differences in individual coping styles. When faced with a stressful situation without a ready solution, people tend to divide into two broad camps: those with an innate tendency to adopt passive coping strategies, such as avoidance, and those t ....Stress plays a major role in the development and progression of many different mental health disorders. However, as we all know, the effects of stress on one person can be very different from its effects upon another. This is at least partly explained by differences in individual coping styles. When faced with a stressful situation without a ready solution, people tend to divide into two broad camps: those with an innate tendency to adopt passive coping strategies, such as avoidance, and those that tend towards active coping strategies, such as attempting to take control of the situation. Previous studies have provided findings that suggest that passive coping is more common amongst sufferers of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and chronic pain syndrome than is active coping. But is this cause, or effect? And what are the intervening brain mechanisms? We attempt to address such questions in the present project using an animal model in which social conflict has been shown to trigger depression-like symptoms. In particular we wish to: (i) determine whether the patterns of brain activity triggered by social conflict are different for active vs. passive copers; (ii) determine whether the depression-like consequences of social conflict are more severe in passive than in active copers; (iii) determine whether differences in coping style and vulnerability to social conflict stress are due to the actions of a particular neurotransmitter, dopamine, in the prefrontal cortex of the brain; (iv) determine whether the actions of antidepressants might be attributable changes in prefrontal cortex dopamine function which in turn promote active coping in preference to passive coping. These studies will provide exciting new information about the neurobiological basis of individual differences in vulnerability to the harmful effects of stress, and thus will offer the hope of developing new ways of preventing devastating illnesses such as depression.Read moreRead less
BDNF Genotype And Emotional Memory In Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$108,902.00
Summary
This project addresses the question of why some people develop PTSD following trauma and others don’t. It will assess the influence of genetics (specifically a genotype that influences Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor) on emotional memory processes as distressing emotional memories are a core symptom of PTSD. If we find that people with a particular genetic profile have a greater risk of developing intrusive memories after trauma, this will help us better target treatment for those individuals.
Dopamine Mechanisms Conferring Resilience To Depression: A New Antidepressant Target
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$560,948.00
Summary
A significant proportion of people who suffer depression fail to obtain effective relief from either drugs or psychotherapy. Accordingly, there is a pressing need to develop new, and more effective, treatments. This project will determine whether certain specific brain pathways that use the transmitter dopamine can be manipulated in their activity so as to increase resilience to depression. This work has potential to provide the foundation for the development a new generation of antidepressants.
Understanding Sex Differences In Alcohol Use Disorder: The Role Of Stress And Neuropeptides
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$692,106.00
Summary
Alcohol use disorders (AUD) are an emerging issue in women, yet there is little understanding of the how the male and female brains differ in response to excessive alcohol consumption. In pilot studies, we have found that deletion of a specific brain chemical causes differences in the way male and female mice consume alcohol in excess. We will further characterise this system and test new approaches to reduce the desire to consume alcohol.
The Evaluation Of Internet-based Treatments For Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$33,371.00
Summary
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is the most common anxiety disorder in Australia and involves a disabling psychological reaction to a stressful event that doesn�t resolve on its own. Effective treatments are available but only 1 in 4 people access such treatments. This project involves the development of evidence-based treatment programs for PTSD delivered via the Internet. The aim of this research is to provide clinically and cost-effective treatments for individuals without access to spec ....Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is the most common anxiety disorder in Australia and involves a disabling psychological reaction to a stressful event that doesn�t resolve on its own. Effective treatments are available but only 1 in 4 people access such treatments. This project involves the development of evidence-based treatment programs for PTSD delivered via the Internet. The aim of this research is to provide clinically and cost-effective treatments for individuals without access to specialised PTSD treatment services.Read moreRead less