Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SEROTONIN and BEYOND (Serotonin and BEYOND: Brain development research Excelling Young Ones in Neurotechnologies and Discoveries)
Berichtszeitraum: 2021-01-01 bis 2022-12-31
The overarching objective of this ETN is to provide high-level training in the field of serotonin, neurodevelopment, neuropsychiatry and neurotechnologies. The specific scientific objectives of this ETN involve the following 4 objectives:
1.To determine the role of serotonin in perinatal raphe-PFC network formation
2. To define the role of serotonin in postnatal raphe-PFC network maturation
3.To elucidate how serotonin-mediated neurodevelopmental changes translate to psychiatric endophenotypes and respond to environmental stimuli
4.Optimize new technologies to measure serotonin-mediated neurodevelopmental changes and cognition .
All ESRs have developed Personal Career plans and are following training courses provided by the network and also their institutions.
Towards achieving the scientific objectives we have developed an analytic tool to measure tryptophan metabolites.
Foreseen societal implications involve the identification of risk factors for psychiatric disorders and and delivering insight in critical windows for interventions as well as new ideas for future intervention approaches redirecting serotonin-mediated developmental changes. This will lead to improved prevention of these disorders and promote mental health.
S&B goes beyond the state-of-the-art in several ways. First, it focusses on serotonin-mediated neurodevelopmental processes as potential origin of major psychiatric disorders like autism, depression and activity deficit hyperactivity disorder. Second, it not only addresses neurodevelopmental changes in the serotonin system itself, but also changes in non-serotonergic systems, which may ultimately contribute to the disorders. Third, we tackle the developmental processes from the prenatal phase up to adulthood across preclinical and clinical studies that implement comparable genetic and early life factors. Fourth, novel technologies like light-sheet imaging of brains in 3D and homecage cognitive testing are being implemented. Fifth and last, across studies sex differences are investigated.