Cognitive control, mood, brain function and genetics in major depressive disorder and healthy people PDF Print E-mail

Cognitive control, mood, brain function and genetics in major depressive disorder and healthy people

One aim with the project is to investigate basic cognitive control aspects of executive functions and other key attentional and memory functions in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), with or without a co-morbid anxiety disorder, as compared to healthy subjects. Another main aim is to investigate the relations between polymorphisms identified within the promoter region of the serotonin transporter (5-HTTLPR) and cognitive control in both MDD patients and in healthy subjects. The 5-HTTLPR genotype seems to represent a classic susceptibility factor for mood changes and affective disorders. However, although there are some indications from studies with the rapid tryptophan paradigm, no cognitive vulnerability markers or endophenotypes have been identified. A possible interactive effect with gender will also be studied. A third aim is to use multimodal neuroimaging methods to investigate the effects of  serotonin transporter polymorphisms on affective processing in healthy people and in previously depressed subjects.

 

People at the Center for the Study of Human Cognition:
Nils Inge Landrø, Professor, Phd., Principal Investigator.
Pia Lyche, Psychologist, Phd student.
Karen Elisabeth Lythe, Phd,. Post doctor.
Tor Endestad, Associate Professor.
Rune Jonassen (part time). Psychologist. Research assistant
Anne Marie Hoel, Martin Aker, Monika Rutle: Student assistants.

Other collaborators:
Tore C. Stiles, Professor, Phd. Norwegian University of Science and Technology.
Håvard Bentsen, MD, Phd., Department of Psychopharmacology, Diakonhjemmet University Hospital, Oslo.
Jens Petter Berg, Professor, MD, Phd., Department of Clinical Chemistry, Ullevål University Hospital, Oslo.
Alexander Neumeister, Professor, MD, Phd., Yale University School of Medicine, USA.