Project 1 Neurobiology of Suicide: Childhood Adversity, Neuroinflammation and Genomics Childhood adversity is associated with greater risk for depression in adulthood, aggressive traits and suicide. Adversity, whether in childhood or in adulthood, can be a severe stress that can cause neuroinflammation, which can also lead to increased risk for suicide. The biological basis of this relationship […]

Project 2 Animal Models of Suicide: Behavior, Neurobiological and Molecular Phenotype We have previously established that mice exposed to postnatal maternal separation manifest increased depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors, reduction in behavioral inhibition in novel environments, and increased aggressive behavior (males only) during social interactions. Importantly, behavioral effects are sex-specific, with considerable individual difference in response […]

Project 3 PET Neuroimaging in Vivo in Mood Disorders and Suicidal Behavior The molecular pathways contributing to depression and suicide risk are not well understood, which has hampered new treatment development. Previously, we used positron emission tomography (PET) to quantify serotonin transporter and the serotonin 1A receptor binding, and their association to depression, suicide attempt […]

Project 4 Cognitive Phenotype Neural Circuitry in Vivo In Mood Disorders and Suicidal Behavior Studying the neural mechanisms underlying clinical dysfunction Over the past decade, an important approach to describing and treating psychiatric disorders has been the application of cognitive neuroscience techniques to understanding the neural mechanisms underlying clinical dysfunction. For example, individuals with major […]

Project 5 Stress, Inflammation, Aggression and Emotion Regulation in Suicidal Behavior Aggression, childhood adversity, and behavioral and physiological responses to stress are all critical factors that may contribute to risk for suicidal behavior. We have studied the role of childhood adversity childhood adversity and impulsive aggression in depressed suicide attempters, depressed nonattempters and healthy volunteers. We […]

Project 6 Statistical Models of Suicidal Behavior and Brain Biology Using Large Data Sets At the heart of the Conte Center is the effort to improve understanding of the causes and the biological basis of suicidal behavior. Toward that aim, as part of the component projects, valuable and complex data sets will be collected. This […]