Project Summary

Flora M. Vaccarino, M.D. (Independent Investigator 2000) of Yale University School of Medicine, will investigate molecular events that are necessary for cell growth and the formation of new neurons in the adult brain of mammals. Previous work suggests that neuronal loss within the hippocampus of depressed patients is produced by stress, and these changes are due to a decrease in the proliferation of new neurons. Fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) is involved in the proliferation of these cells during embryonic development. It is hypothesized that FGF-2 is also required during the postnatal period for the formation of new neurons in the hippocampus and other brain regions. This study will test whether FGF-2 and a closely related molecule, FGF-1, are necessary for this neuronal proliferation. This work may yield essential new insights into the role of disturbances of neuronal growth and proliferation in depression.

Program Area: MOOD DISORDERS\Depression (Unipolar)

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