Rapid Antidepressant Mechanisms of Ketamine in Treatment Resistant Depression

Fields: Psychiatry

Location: Queensland Brain Institute

Type of student: Both HDR and Extra-curricular

Type of work:

• Literature review
• Secondary data analysis
• Statistical analysis
• Wet lab work

Brief synopsis:

Brain insulin resistance has been implicated in several brain diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and Depression. Brain insulin resistance occurs in response to poor diet, chronic stress and/or aging and alters metabolic processes essential for healthy brain function. Insulin signalling also plays an important role in neuroplasticity, thus insulin resistance can impair this process which is a key therapeutic mechanism of antidepressants. Our prior work suggests that insulin resistance is an important moderator of antidepressant response to ketamine. The proposed study aims to show that direct impairment of insulin signalling within the brain is sufficient to block antidepressant response to ketamine at the cellular (neurotrophic) and behavioural (stress coping) level. The relationship between central and peripheral insulin resistance, dopamine neuron function and antidepressant-stimulation of neurotrophic signalling will also be determined in cell culture models to complement animal behavioural studies.

Prerequisite skills: cell culture, molecular biology and animal behaviour

Website link: https://qbi.uq.edu.au/tyegroup