Descrizione del progetto
Il ruolo del neurosviluppo nei disturbi psichiatrici
Molti disturbi neuropsichiatrici vengono trattati mediante farmaci che agiscono sulla trasmissione del neurotrasmettitore chiamato serotonina. Tuttavia, l’efficacia subottimale di tali farmaci, insieme a nuove linee di ricerca che mettono in evidenza il ruolo della serotonina nel neurosviluppo, hanno spinto gli scienziati a rivedere le origini e il trattamento di questi disturbi. Il lavoro del progetto SEROTONIN and BEYOND, finanziato dall’UE, si baserà sull’ipotesi secondo cui i disturbi psichiatrici legati alla serotonina siano causati da cambiamenti del neurosviluppo. Per trattare questo concetto scientifico, il progetto formerà ricercatori nella fase iniziale della carriera su tecniche all’avanguardia, preparandoli così ad una brillante carriera nel campo.
Obiettivo
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.
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Meccanismo di finanziamento
MSCA-ITN - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks (ITN)Coordinatore
6525 GA Nijmegen
Paesi Bassi