DISTRIBUTION & QUANTIFICATION OF SEROTONIN 1A RECEPTORS IN HEALTHY HUMAN SUBJS

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Major Depression is a frequent and disabling illness, thought to be mediated by changes in the chemical communication (neurotransmission) between brain cells. Stress and negative life events are known to precipitate the onset of episodes of Major Depression, which then often takes a repetitive, autonomous course. As subsequent episodes of depression re-occur, its treatment often times becomes more difficult, and the association between stress and episodes of depression becomes less apparent. This project examines the function of a neurotransmitter system, the serotonergic, implicated in the regulation of mood and in the effect of antidepressant medications. It examines the relationship between hormones responsive to stress (glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids), and the concentration of serotonin 1A receptors, which mediate some of the effects of serotonin in brain cells. It is hypothesized that the abnormal (increased) production of these stress-response hormones will influence the concentration of serotonin 1A receptors, which will in turn be associated with a poor response to antidepressant medications. Elucidation of these mechanisms will improve our understanding of the brain underpinnings of Major Depression and the variability in the individual's response to antidepressants.