PROJECT: JTC2024 - Brain-Body: BODYMOOD

Our project delves into mood disorders by focusing on the disturbance of bidirectional interactions between body and brain, especially in the context of peripheral inflammation. Our reasoning for examining mood disorders from the perspective of the body-brain axis dysfunction lies in the recognition that mental disorders frequently emerge as chronic conditions, often triggered by maladaptive immune responses. In the case of depression, the role of inflammation has been established in various studies. We hypothesize that inflammation arising at the periphery could impact the central nervous system (CNS) through various mechanisms that we seek to pinpoint. Exploring the connections between the periphery and the brain could provide insights into future adjunctive strategies via the manipulation of the immune system, or lifestyles, thus offering opportunities for novel and holistic approaches to treat mental health. This proposal includes 4 specific aims: Aim #1: Deciphering if, and how, early-life inflammation shapes brain development and mental illness during adulthood (all partners). Aim #2: Deciphering if, and how, mental conditions are affected by the fate of the bone marrow derived-cells following viral infection, during adulthood (all partners). Aim #3: Translocation of inflammatory cells/signals across barriers (all partners). Aim #4: Unraveling the connection between chronic peripheral inflammation, brain circuits and mood disorders (all partners).