Description du projet
Le rôle du neurodéveloppement dans les troubles psychiatriques
De nombreux troubles neuropsychiatriques sont traités à l’aide de médicaments qui ciblent la transmission du neurotransmetteur sérotonine. Cependant, l’efficacité sous-optimale de ces médicaments ainsi que les nouveaux axes de recherche mettant en évidence le rôle de la sérotonine dans le développement neurologique ont incité les scientifiques à réexaminer les origines et le traitement de ces troubles. Le projet SEROTONIN and BEYOND, financé par l’UE, travaillera en partant de l’hypothèse selon laquelle les troubles neuropsychiatriques liés à la sérotonine sont causés par des modifications du développement neurologique. Pour aborder ce concept scientifique, le projet formera des chercheurs en début de carrière à des techniques de pointe, les préparant ainsi à une brillante carrière dans ce domaine.
Objectif
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter playing a crucial in the onset and treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders. Most of the drugs currently used in psychiatry target serotonin (neuro)transmission. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that the efficacy of these drugs is suboptimal. As a result, the prevalence and burden of these disorders remain high. A new wave of research revealed that serotonin plays important role in neurodevelopment. Changes in serotonin levels lead to changes in developmental processes with consequences for the serotonin system and beyond. This makes it plausible that the origins of these disorders do not per se lie in disturbed serotonin neurotransmission, but rather in serotonin-mediated neurodevelopmental changes. This would require a radical different view on disease burden reduction. We hypothesize that it are the serotonin-mediated non-serotonergic downstream changes in neurodevelopment that are at the basis of serotonin-related neuropsychiatric disorders. SEROTONIN and BEYOND will establish an interdisciplinary, intersectoral and international scientific network to test this hypothesis. It will enable paradigm shifts in the understanding of vulnerability to neuropsychiatric disorders, and provide groundwork for critical windows in development for future interventions. To achieve these goals, top-class academic and industrial scientists will train Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) in the full spectrum of state-of-the-art neuroscientific technical approaches. We will also equip these ESRs with translational and entrepreneurial thinking by providing intersectoral and transferable skills training. In summary, we will train a new generation of ESRs in the integrated field of serotonin, neurodevelopment and psychiatry to deliver 15 excellent young researchers who are optimally prepared for their future academic and industrial careers.
Champ scientifique
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MSCA-ITN - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks (ITN)Coordinateur
6525 GA Nijmegen
Pays-Bas