Research summary
Depression is the leading cause of disability—and unfortunately, current therapies are limited in their ability to help. Even though we are witnessing unprecedented technological advances in neuroscience, our understanding of the mechanisms of depression has not improved much.
Dr. Rosemary Bagot, Canada Research Chair in Behavioural Neurogenomics, is pioneering an integrative approach to understanding how certain experiences, such as chronic stress, can change the activity of genes within specific populations of brain cells—and how this, in turn, can alter the connections between brain cells and shape brain circuits so as to increase depression-like behaviour. By studying how genes shape neural circuits to alter depression susceptibility, Bagot and her research team may uncover new circuit-based treatments for depression.