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Project

Characterizing biosignatures in mood-related disorders

Circadian rhythms (CRs) include all autonomous physiological processes (e.g. sleep-wake cycle, body temperature, cortisol and melatonin levels) which are synchronized to a 24-hour cycle. These rhythms are regulated by an endogenous ‘circadian clock’, located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in the hypothalamus, also referred to as the ‘master clock’. Although our internal clock has an endogenous rhythm, it is synchronized with the external world through environmental cues (also called ‘zeitgebers’). The SCN receives light input via the retinohypothalamic tract (RHT), synchronizes to the 24-hour-day-night cycle, and communicates this information with a network of peripheral clocks. These cellular clocks are connected through networks that set the circadian rhythms in tissues, organs, and the entire organism. A healthy timekeeping system is characterized by an optimal entrainment between our internal clock and the external light-darkness cycle, and alignment between the SCN (the master clock) and the peripheral clocks in other brain areas and organs. Abnormalities - such as phase shifts and changes in period length and amplitude - in circadian rhythms are strongly associated with mood disorders, such as Bipolar Disorder (BD) and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), and with neurodegenerative illnesses including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This PhD project aims to create and validate a methodological approach to assess circadian rhythm dysregulation in patient groups relative to healthy participants. Multiple biochemical and physiological biomarkers will be explored with the purpose of creating a biosignature (or circadian rhythm profile) in healthy participants and various patient groups. Wearable devices will be used to measure physiological parameters in an at-home environment. This biosignature will make it possible to assess within subject and between subject variability in healthy subjects and different disease groups. Furthermore, a part of the PhD project will be to analyze existing placebo data sets of two Janssen studies. Placebo-controlled studies are important to evaluate the efficacy of a novel drug treatment. An aim is to better understand ‘placebo response’ by analyzing the differences in psychophysiological data (e.g. sleep data) from placebo responders and placebo non-responders.

Date:12 Mar 2020 →  1 Nov 2022
Keywords:circadian rhythm
Disciplines:Neurosciences not elsewhere classified
Project type:PhD project