BEHAVIOURAL NEUROSCIENCE
PROJECTS AND GRANTS
BEHAVIOURAL NEUROSCIENCE
Schizophrenia
We strive to investigate the sex difference in L-methionine administered mice through the behavioral changes in mice reflecting schizophrenia like symptoms.
Anxiety and Depression
We utilize CSDS, CUMS, CVMS AND Vicarious defeat paradigms to investigate the gender differences in mood disorders such as anxiety and depression
Stroke Recovery
The window period for intervention in stroke attack is extremely short. We investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying focal and global stroke. Behavioral patterns allow us to understand the progression and recovery from the ailment
Behavioral assays to measure depression, anxiety & related mood disorders
Assays we employ
Depression induced by stress is affected by sex, age and hormonal status of the animal and also by duration and type of the stressors. Moreover, higher prevalence of depression and comorbidities in women than men implies the need to include the sex variable in studies on animal models of depression. We conduct high end behavioral experiments to assess anxiety, depression and related disorders. Some of the common behavioral assays used include:
Sucrose preference test
Sexual Behavior/drive
Learned Helplessness
Social Defeat test
Social interaction test
Elevated-plus maze
Open field test
Dark/light test
Tail Suspension
Porsolt forced Swim test
Intracranial self- stimulation (ICSS)
Why we study Sex differences ???
Where lies the difference?
It is an imperative fact that men and woman respond differently to the stress response at the behavioral as well as molecular levels. However it has been observed that research studies unanimously focused on utilizing male animals for years. However past two decades in clinical and basic science research led to decipherment of the gender differences in mood and various other disorders. Yet not much information is available on the mechanisms and progression of mood disorders with an insight to sex difference. In addtion animal models competent to differentiate the neurobiological complications concerning physical and emotional stress are limited. Further, currently available animal models rely primarily on physical stressors while leaving the impact of psychological stress alone. We study the pathophysiology of physical and emotional stress aided by behavioral experiments.
We previously showed using mice models that intact (Non-OVX) females alone presented anhedonic behavior in CVMS (Chronic variable mild stress) model while OVX females resembled males in behavioral and molecular response to CVMS.
NEUROPSYCHIATRY AND NEUROPHARMACOLOGY
Potent small molecules, are appreciated for being active as neurotrophic agents, and sought much interest in the context of rapidly growing neurodegenerative diseases. Neuritogenesis is a highly complex process of the sprouting of neurites, that plays a vital role in development of mammalian brain, maintenance of structural and functional state of the brain as well as for restoration of cerebral injured neuronal tissue.
Our lab is interested in discovering and repurposing drugs that mediate neuritogenesis and neurogenesis that may potentially act as alleviating agents in mood disorders. We partner with chemical laboratories to develop new as well as repurposed potent compounds and test for the efficacy utilizing in-vivo animal models, zebrafish and mice as well as cell culture based investigations.
It is known that lichen derived compounds and secondary metabolites, identified from different sources and environmental conditions have a number of bioactive properties. Natural products from lichens are widely investigated for their biological properties, yet their potential as central nervous system (CNS) therapeutic agents is less explored. Lichen derived compounds are reported to have anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial activities.
we reported the in vitro neuroactive properties of lichen-derived compounds with respect to their neurotrophic and neurogenic activities. Furthermore, we assessed the antidepressant and anxiolytic activity in stress induced depression model of Zebrafish.
.jpg)
MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY
Epigenetics and Psychoendocrinology
Epigenetic etiopathologylogy of Depression
World Health Organization's (WHO) report indicates that nearly 57 million Indians suffer from depression (Depression, 2017) while it tops in the list of most delibiating disease globally as well.. However there is a lack of complete understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying the etiopathology of this disorder In addition to investigating the genetic component , research in recent times has accentuated the epigenetic mechanisms in mediating stressful events on neural circuits. Impairmet of cognitive circuitry has been observed in depression and related mood disorders.
We investigate the impact of acetylation/deacetylation and methylation of several histone lysine residues on neural gene expression. Further we also are interested in studying the role of demethylation of lysine residues in chronic stress-induced changes in neurogenesis that results in altered behaviour. Apart from depression, our lab also focuses on understanding the molecular aspects of epigenetic regulation in stroke with an insight on the sex difference.
Despite the fact that depression-like pathophysiology in females are more pronounced yet, the molecular mechanisms in female rodent models are less reported compared to males. Further it is imperative that the stress-response in brain circuitries (reward and cognition) varies with age and hormonal status of the females. We investigate the roles of ovarian hormones in stress induced mood and cognitive disorders by studying its impact in neural structures that are involved in affective and cognivtive behaviors.
Dr. Sumana Chakravarty has been selected for the prestigious SERB- POWER (Promoting Opportunities for Women in Exploratory Research) Fellowship
LAB FACILITIES
