Brain inhibitory GABAergic function and cognitive deficits in depression and during aging: Mechanisms and therapeutic targeting

Seminar

  • Datum: 17.12.2019
  • Uhrzeit: 10:00 - 11:00
  • Vortragende(r): Dr. Etienne Sibille
  • Professor, Departments of Psychiatry, Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Canada
  • Ort: Max-Planck-Institut für Psychiatrie
  • Raum: Hörsaal
  • Gastgeber: Dr Juan Pablo Lopez
  • Kontakt: jplopez@psych.mpg.de
Brain inhibitory GABAergic function and cognitive deficits in depression and during aging: Mechanisms and therapeutic targeting
Changes in the brain excitation inhibition balance characterize neuropsychiatric disorders and aging. Using human post-mortem samples and genetic rodent models, combined with genomic and bioinformatics approaches, we have reported changes in GABAergic inhibitory neurons that target pyramidal cell dendrites in human depression and aging, and associated these changes with cognitive and mood behaviors in rodent models.

Using molecular modeling, medicinal chemistry, pharmacological approaches and rodent behavioral models, we now show that novel molecules that activate alpha5-containing GABA-A receptor, which mediate the function of dendritic-targeting GABAergic neurons, show robust pro-cognitive, anxiolytic and antidepressant effects in adult and age mice. Collectively the results suggest a novel therapeutic approach for the unmet need of reducing cognitive symptoms across brain disorders.

Go to Editor View