NIMH-CRB PSYCHOBIOLOGY DEPRESSION PROGRAM--BIO(HUMAN)

先前的研究强烈表明，情感障碍患者 在一个或多个神经生物学功能中存在异常， 系统. 在NIMH临床研究分支召开的一次会议上， 这些调查结果进行了审查，并提出了一些阻碍 更全面和综合地看待联合国系统的运作 躁狂症或抑郁症患者的神经生物学系统， 鉴定 因此，NIMH赞助了一项 多个研究中心，合作研究的方法， 情感障碍的心理生物学。 在这个合作项目中， 几年来，主要目标一直是测试一种 广泛的假设，其中牵连神经化学的病因， 情感障碍的维持。 为了做到这一点， 重点是：（a）评估几个机构的运作情况， 不同类型的生物系统在同一患者之前和 （B）获得大量的患者并比较 受试者;以及（c）标准化诊断的跨中心使用 分类和行为方法论。 在上一个赠款期间 数据已经合并，数据分析已经开始。 初步 已报告了结果，并正在进行一系列研究。 的 这项建议的具体目的是继续测试 早期，以及目前，假设有关的行为和 生理病理学，以及治疗响应性， 描述抑郁症患者的特征，并将其与健康患者区分开来 科目

Prior research strongly suggests that patients with affective disorders have abnormalities in the functioning of one or more neurobiological systems. At a conference convened by the Clinical Research Branch, NIMH, these findings were reviewed and some of the factors which were impeding movement towards a more complete and integrated view of the functioning of neurobiological systems in patients with mania or depression were identified. As a result, the NIMH sponsored the development of a multiresearch center, collaborative approach to the study of the psychobiology of affective disorders. In this collaborative program, underway for several years, the major objectives have been the testing of a wide range of hypotheses which implicate neurochemistry in the etiology and maintenance of the affective disorders. In order to accomplish this, the focus has been upon: (a) the assessment of the functioning of several different types of biological systems in the same patient both before and during treatment; (b) obtaining a large number of patients and comparison subjects; and (c) the use across centers of standardized diagnostic categories and behavioral methodologies. During the preceding grant period the data have been consolidated and data analysis has begun. Preliminary results have been reported and a range of studies are in progress. The specific aim of this proposal is the continuation of the testing of earlier, as well as current, hypotheses related to the behavioral and physiological pathology, as well as to treatment responsivity which may characterize depressed patients and differentiate them from healthy subjects.