| Wayne Drevets, M.D., Laboratory Chief (Acting)
The focus of the Laboratory of Molecular Pathophysiology is the investigation of disease- and treatment-induced changes in gene and protein expression profiles that regulate neuroplasticity and cellular resilience in mood disorders. In broad terms, the lab�s scientific goals are to capitalize upon recent insights into our understanding of the signaling pathways mediating the effects of mood stabilizers, in order to understand the pathophysiology of severe mood disorders and to develop improved therapeutics. The lab utilizes a truly integrated preclinical and clinical strategy, which focuses on elucidating the molecular and cellular mechanisms of action of mood stabilizing agents. It is our opinion that such an experimental strategy may prove to be most promising, since -- not only does it have the potential to lead to the development of truly innovative treatments -- it also provides data derived from the physiological response of the system in affected individuals and appropriate model systems, and addresses the critical dynamic interaction with pharmacological agents that effectively modify the clinical expression of the pathophysiology. Thus, our preclinical neurobiological studies are clinically driven and clinically informed; the knowledge gained from these studies is then validated in clinical research studies in patients with severe illness, and then refined accordingly. Current preclinical projects include genomics and proteomics strategies to study interacting signaling networks in the CNS, morphometric and histochemical analyses of brain tissue from transgenic and knockout mice models of neuropsychiatric disorders, as well as human postmortem brain tissue. The investigation of disease and treatment induced changes in neuroplasticity is a major focus of the preclinical laboratory. Current clinical studies involve the use of signal transduction modifiers (e.g. protein kinase C inhibitors) not only to investigate the pathophysiology of mood disorders, but also as potential novel therapeutics for mood disorders. Additional clinical studies involve the use of morphometric brain imaging to study of the neurotrophic effects of mood stabilizing agents, and the potential use of these agents to alter the course and trajectory of bipolar disorder. |
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