Antidepressant like effects of deep brain stimulation in rats and the hypothalamic, pituitary, adrenal axis

• Grant number: 11/51815-9
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: April 01, 2012
• End date: March 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Physiology - Physiology of Organs and Systems
• Agreement: University of Toronto and University of Western Ontario
• Principal Investigator: Luciene Covolan
• Grantee: Luciene Covolan
• Principal researcher abroad: Clement Hamani
• Institution abroad: University of Toronto (U of T), Canada
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Deep brain stimulation involves the implantation of electrodes into the brain thorough current is delivered to specific targets in patients with depression, promising results have been reported with DBS at different site, including the subgenual cingulated gyrus (SCG) TO investigate mechanisms of this therapy, we have recently studied the effects of DBS in the rodent homologue of the SCG, the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC). In a recent collaborative study between the University of Toronto/Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and the Universidade Federal de São Paulo, we have recently shown an important antianhedonic/antidepressant-like effect of vmPFC DBS in rais undergoing chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUS). In this proposal we will test the hypotheses that 1) DBS will improve a series of tests to measure depressive and anxiely like behavioral in animals undergoing CUS and 2) DBS will reverse stress-induced changes in the hypothalamic pituitary andrenal (IIPA) axis, Patients with depression have levels of corticosterone Chronic stress and hypercortisolemia are often deleterious from a health perspective Results from experiments in this proposal may pave the way for future investigation to assess whether DBS nay improve the consequences of hypercortisolemia and stress. (AU)