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RESEARCH PROJECTS
Most of the Laboratory’s studies are based upon examining brain function prior to and during treatment.
The Science of the Laboratory of Brain, Behavior, and Pharmacology
Since its inception, the Laboratory of Brain, Behavior, and Pharmacology, has pursued a number of inter-related research programs. At present, our work examines questions about:
- disorders of mood, such as depression
- normal aging
- memory and cognition
- substance abuse and addiction
- basic neurobiology related to the brain's electrical activity
- the role of the blood brain barrier (BBB) in drug sensitivity
- changes in brain activity when someone is responding to a placebo
We have been fortunate to receive support from the National Institutes of Health, from private foundations such as the National Alliance for Research in Schizophrenia and Depression (NARSAD), from the Veterans Administration, from private philanthropists, and from industrial sponsors, to conduct our research.
Depression Research Studies
These studies are of three types:
- First generation studies are observational, examining brain function in patients with a range of severity of illness or over the course of treatment. These studies enable us to identify possible biomarkers for risk factors, illness severity, or treatment response.
- Second generation studies test biomarkers in hypothesis-based studies to determine how well they perform in predicting a specific outcome, such as early identification of disease or predicting treatment outcome. These prospective studies are designed to test the effectiveness of biomarkers in clinical treatment settings.
- Third generation studies aim to determine the mechanism underlying how biomarkers work. Once we have determined that a biomarker predicts outcome in the clinic setting, we return to the laboratory to identify what brain systems, genetic factors, or other mechanisms may be involved in generating the biomarker.
