Canada Research Chairs
Clinical depression is a complex mood disorder caused by factors such as genetic predisposition, personality, stress and brain chemistry. As Canada Research Chair in the Neurochemistry of Major Depressive Disorder, Dr. Jeffrey Meyer is creating new ways to prevent and cure it.
Meyer has already discovered brain changes that occur during life events or situations that carry a higher risk for clinical depression, such as the postpartum period, perimenopause and traumatic brain injury. Now, he and his research team are developing nutraceuticals-health products derived from food sources-to counter these changes and prevent depression symptoms. They are also using positron emission tomography (PET) imaging to identify brain changes that occur during depression, especially when people also suffer from another disease, such as COVID-19. Using PET imaging will enable Meyer and his team to determine if matching new treatments to brain changes during clinical depression improves response.