Project Summary

Karl Deisseroth, M.D., Ph.D. (Young Investigator 2005) of Stanford University, plans to study how the application of non-invasive electrical activity to the brain may lead to neurogenesis, or new neuron cell growth, and be a potential new treatment for depression. Research has shown that depressed animals display markedly reduced neurogenesis in the hippocampus, a region of the brain linked to memory and mood-relating circuits. Also, brain imaging studies reveal that depressed adult humans have smaller hippocampi than controls. These findings suggest a novel strategy to treat depression — if noninvasive techniques could be developed to increase adult neurogenesis. Dr. Deisseroth has found that electrical activity could control neurogenesis, a result with both basic and clinical significance, as electrical activity is influenced by a variety of noninvasive behavioral and clinical interventions. Dr. Deisseroth proposes to study this pathway in detail to identify potential methods of controlling neurogenesis in adults. His findings could lead to a deeper understanding of hippocampal function and to novel treatments for major depression.

Program Area: MOOD DISORDERS\Unipolar Depression

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