Research

Neurobiological mechanisms of susceptibility to estradiol fluctuation in female adolescents at risk of suicide: An expiremental approach. 2025 Award: $200,000 Female adolescents are 2-3 times more likely than their male peers to experience severe mental illness, possibly due to sensitivity to changing ovarian hormones (e.g., estradiol). Yet, the biological mechanisms that contribute to this elevated risk in females remain unclear. In this study, we will examine relationships between estradiol and depressive symptoms across the adolescent menstrual cycle to identify distinct windows of vulnerability to estradiol change, and use the experimental stabilization of estradiol to isolate the role of estradiol on depressive symptoms and underlying brain circuitry in female adolescents at risk of suicide. Need/Problem: Rates of suicidal ideation and attempts increase dramatically at the adolescent transition, particularly among females, yet remarkably little is known about why. With suicide being [...]

Examining the effect of estradiol on mood symptoms during perimenopause through immune gene expression 2024 Award: $44,745 Depression can increase during the transition to menopause (“perimenopause”), and hormonal treatments can help alleviate depressive symptoms. However, the mechanisms of how these treatments work and who they work for remain unclear. In this study, we propose the immune system may play a critical role in depressive symptoms and their treatment. Need/Problem: Rates of depression rise during the transition to menopause (“perimenopause”). Hormone treatments with estradiol can be helpful, but they are not effective or feasible for everyone. More research is needed to understand how and why estradiol works to better inform novel treatment approaches. Grant Summary: We will study expression of immune-related genes in a sample of perimenopausal women with depressive symptoms before and after three weeks of estradiol treatment or [...]

Increasing Access to Evidence-Based Therapy for Perinatal Women: A Novel App-Based Approach 2024 Award: $64,840 Perinatal depression affects 1.4M Americans each year and is a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality, yet only 7% of those with perinatal depression are diagnosed and treated effectively. Barriers to high-quality, evidence-based care are too high. We have created an new, internet-based behavior therapy app to overcome barriers to care, but we need to determine whether it works to treat depression and whether women find the app usable and relevant to their care. In this study, we will test the efficacy, acceptability, and feasibility of this new behavior therapy app. Identifying a population-level, cost-effective, evidence-based behavioral approach to treating perinatal depression would reduce the global burden of illness and improve the lives of women and their children. Need/Problem: Perinatal depression affects 1.4M [...]

Developing a pre-clinical model to study the interaction of female pubertal hormones and early-life stress in vulnerability to anhedonia 2024 Award: $44,577 This preclinical study aims to explore the interaction between chronic stress and reproductive hormones during puberty in females and investigating their role in vulnerability to depression in adulthood. Focusing on anhedonia, or the inability to experience pleasure, we will investigate the impact of these interactions on cortico-striatal circuits, offering insights into potential resilience factors and critical windows of vulnerability, thus advancing our understanding of major depressive disorder in women. Need/Problem: After puberty, women present twice the prevalence of major depressive disorder than men. The mechanisms by which reproductive hormones shape vulnerability to chronic stress-induced depression during puberty in women remain unexplored. Grant Summary: We will study how chronic stress interacts with reproductive hormones in females to shape [...]