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Projects of RG Lucae

Overview

 

Whether or not antidepressant treatment leads to a complete remission of symptoms is probably mediated by several factors, one of them being genetic variation. Our research group is organizing the MARS (Munich Antidepressant Response Signature) study, designed to discover biomarkers and genotypes predictive for clinical outcome (linkWebsitewww.mars-depression.de). Patients with at least a moderate depressive episode who are admitted to our hospital are asked to participate in our study. Trained raters assess the severity of psychopathology at admission and then weekly until discharge. At the functional level, the status of the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis, as well as neuropsychological parameters are examined at admission and after six weeks using the dex/CRH test as well as a standardized neuropsychological test battery. In addition, serum and cerebrospinal fluid are analyzed to discover protein biomarkers (proteomics), and repeated gene expression profiling is performed during hospitalization.

 

We are performing candidate gene studies as well as whole-genome association studies and aim at combining these results with functional data and brain morphometry studies. We are also interested in metabolic changes occurring in depressed patients and the interplay of these alterations with treatment response.

 

linkWebsiteMunich Antidepressant Response Signature (MARS) project

linkWebsitePharmacogenetics of depression

linkWebsiteIdentification of susceptibility genes for unipolar depression

linkWebsiteMetabolism in psychiatric disorders

linkWebsiteBiomarkers and treatment response in depression

linkWebsiteGSK-Control study

linkWebsiteMARS-Control study

linkWebsiteMolecular genetics and biomarkers predicting antidepressant treatment response

linkWebsiteNeurobiology of suicidal behavior

linkWebsiteMetabolic and neuroendocrine aspects of Narcolepsy

linkWebsiteNeuroendocrine regulation of metabolism and adipocyte function

linkWebsiteQuetiapine versus placebo as augmentation strategy in treatment resistent depression

linkWebsiteCharacterization of new candidate genes for stress-associated diseases

linkWebsiteMechanisms of antidepressant efficacy and factors determining individual antidepressant response

linkWebsiteInfluence of blood-brain barrier function on therapeutic success of centrally acting drugs