Mapping molecular changes in the depressed hippocampus
Human brain multi-omics to decipher major depression pathophysiology
Researchers will compare proteins and gene activity in hippocampus tissue from adults with major depression and people without psychiatric illness to learn what changes in the brain.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York State Psychiatric Institute Dba Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, INC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11141783 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project analyzes postmortem hippocampus tissue from adults who had major depressive disorder and from people without psychiatric illness. Scientists will use high-resolution mass spectrometry for proteins and single-nucleus RNA-seq and snATAC to map gene activity and chromatin accessibility at the level of individual cell types and hippocampal subregions. The team will identify genes and proteins that differ in depression and link those molecular changes to known genetic risk signals. Findings aim to reveal the specific cell types and pathways altered in depression and point to targets for future treatments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults with a history of major depressive disorder (or their next-of-kin) who are willing to contribute or consent to postmortem brain tissue donation for research.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate symptom relief or clinical treatment will not directly benefit because this is a laboratory analysis of postmortem tissue rather than a therapeutic trial.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal molecular targets and affected cell types in the hippocampus that guide development of more effective, targeted treatments for depression.
How similar studies have performed: Multi-omics and single-nucleus methods have revealed mechanisms in other brain disorders and animal models, but applying them to human hippocampus in depression is relatively novel and exploratory.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- New York State Psychiatric Institute Dba Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, INC — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dupont, Maura Boldrini — New York State Psychiatric Institute Dba Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, INC
- Study coordinator: Dupont, Maura Boldrini
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.