Research Archives - Page 4 of 7 - Foundation of Hope

3 05, 2024

Developing a pre-clinical model to study the interaction of female pubertal hormones and early-life stress in vulnerability to anhedonia | Dr. Jose Rodriguez-Romaguera | $44,577

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 [...]

3 05, 2024

Addressing an Urgent Need: Developing and Disseminating a Brief Eating Disorders Intervention for Primary Care (FAST-ED) | Pisetsky | $99,001

Addressing an Urgent Need: Developing and Disseminating a Brief Eating Disorders Intervention for Primary Care (FAST-ED) 2024 Award: $99,001 Eating disorders effect approximately 10% of the population, but many individuals with eating disorders experience many barriers to accessing treatment, including unacceptably long waitlists at specialty care settings. The average delay between onset of the eating disorder and accessing treatment is over 5 years. The goal of this study is to develop and test a treatment for adolescents with eating disorders that is designed to be used in primary care settings and delivered by generalist mental health providers. By increasing access to treatment at the point of detection, we will be able to transform care delivery and improve youth mental health across NC. Need/Problem: Eating disorders effect approximately 10% of the population and have a high mortality rate, but current [...]

3 05, 2024

Epigenetic mechanisms linking psychological stress with dementia risk in minoritized individuals | Zannas | $147,167

Epigenetic mechanisms linking psychological stress with dementia risk in minoritized individuals 2024 Award: $147,167 Dementia has an enormous impact worldwide and disproportionately affects minoritized populations. Such health disparities have been attributed to discrimination and other social determinants of health, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. This project examines the epigenetic mechanisms through which stress contributes to dementia risk in Black individuals. Need/Problem: Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) have an enormous impact on individuals and societies, with Alzheimer’s disease alone currently afflicting ~6.7 million persons age 65 and older in the US. Importantly, ADRD disproportionately affect minoritized populations, with older Black adults having an estimated two to three times higher risk for cognitive impairment and dementia as compared to older non-Hispanic White adults. However, the mechanisms underlying this health disparity are unknown and no reliable biomarkers exist to guide [...]

3 05, 2024

Identifying Modifiable Risk Factors Associated with Suicidality in Adolescents Following Acute Psychiatric Hospitalization | Danielle Roubinov, PhD | $78,000

Identifying Modifiable Risk Factors Associated with Suicidality in Adolescents Following Acute Psychiatric Hospitalization 2024 Award: $78,000 Suicide is now the second-leading cause of death among adolescents, and some of the most vulnerable adolescents are those requiring acute mental health care. The rate of suicide in the 3 months following a psychiatric hospitalization is up to 100 times that of the general population, but despite this heightened risk, little is known about the ways in which modifiable factors of hospitalization impact suicidal thoughts and behaviors following discharge from the hospital. The present study will leverage the creation of UNC Youth Behavioral Health, a psychiatric facility for adolescents, to examine the ways in which underlying risk factors, course of hospitalization, and patient perceptions of hospitalization impact clinical outcomes in the three months following discharge among individuals who initially presented with suicidal [...]

15 05, 2023

White Matter Connectome and Behavior Relationships in Early Childhood | Hong | $27,044

White Matter Connectome and Behavior Relationships in Early Childhood 2023 Award: $27,044 Despite increasing research on the association between brain structure and cognition/behavior in adults, their relationship in early childhood remains largely unknown. We propose a new method to study how the brain’s networks relate to behavior in early childhood: connectome-based predictive modeling. Our prediction model will enable the early identification of children at high risk of developing psychiatric disorders. Need/Problem: There is strong evidence that white matter connectome computed from diffusion MRI is associated with cognition or behavior in adults and older children. However, little is known about their relationship in early childhood. Grant Summary: We will investigate how the brain’s networks relate to behavior. We will use the white matter connectome, which shows how different brain area connect to each other. We will develop a novel deep [...]

15 05, 2023

Uncovering Midlife Dementia Risks from Altered Structural and Functional Coupling Mechanisms | Wu | $47,761

Uncovering Midlife Dementia Risks from Altered Structural and Functional Coupling Mechanisms 2023 Award: $47,761 Dementia is a syndrome of cognitive and functional decline, commonly occurring in later life as a result of neurodegenerative and cerebrovascular processes beginning earlier in the life course. Mounting evidence shows that genetic, demographic, and lifespan environmental exposures closely interact to determine vulnerability to dementia. In this context, we aim to discover the smoking gun of dementia risks and understand the neurobiological mechanism of how these dementia risk factors affect brain structures and functions over time. Need/Problem: Mounting evidence shows that genetic, demographic, and lifespan environmental exposures closely interact to determine vulnerability to dementia. Since pre-symptomatic or early symptomatic interventions may ultimately constitute the best long-term therapeutic strategy, a life-course approach is critical to disentangle the nature and timing of dementia risks that contribute to [...]

15 05, 2023

A Machine Learning Approach to Classify Medical Records by Psychiatric Diagnosis | Nash | $35,784

A Machine Learning Approach to Classify Medical Records by Psychiatric Diagnosis 2023 Award: $35,784 The widespread adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) has been accompanied by the enticing promise of using “big data” to improve patient care and clinical research. Many “big data” models rely on discrete data points, while in the field of mental health, our outcomes and diagnostic criteria are typically found in unstructured clinical narratives. In this study, we will train and evaluate machine learning classification models of psychiatric diagnoses using software capable of mining structured and unstructured data in the EHR, by incorporating unstructured clinical data using natural language processing. Need/Problem: The widespread adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) is accompanied by the enticing promise of using “big data” to improve patient care through large-scale research studies, population health and quality improvement initiatives, and improved [...]

15 05, 2023

Adolescent Binge Drinking Persistently Shifts Microglia to a Proinflammatory Phenotype through Reversible Epigenetic Reprogramming | Vetreno | $98,592

Adolescent Binge Drinking Persistently Shifts Microglia to a Proinflammatory Phenotype through Reversible Epigenetic Reprogramming 2023 Award: $98,592 In addition to increasing risk for later development of an alcohol use disorder, adolescent binge drinking increases neuroinflammation in brain that persists into adulthood contributing to neuropathology. In this project, we will investigate the mechanism underlying persistent neuroinflammation in brain using a preclinical rat rodent model of adolescent binge drinking. Findings from the preclinical rat studies will provide an initial step toward understanding molecular mechanisms underlying persistent neuroinflammation in brain and mechanisms of reversal. Need/Problem: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a chronic relapsing disease characterized by uncontrolled drinking and preoccupation with alcohol despite adverse life and health consequences. An early adolescent age of alcohol binge drinking is highly predictive of developing an AUD and other psychiatric disorders later in life. For instance, [...]

15 05, 2023

Youth Mental Health First Aid Training of Rural Black Church Leaders as a Tool to Improve Mental Health Literacy and Access | Hunt-Harrison | $47,275

Youth Mental Health First Aid Training of Rural Black Church Leaders as a Tool to Improve Mental Health Literacy and Access 2023 Award: $47,275 Adolescent depression, anxiety, and suicide are increasingly evident within rural and Black communities, with suicide as one of the leading causes of death among Black youth. Because the Black Church is seen as a safe space for many rural Black communities, congregational church leaders may serve as trusted adults for youth congregants to receive mental health support. This project will adapt the Youth Mental Health First Aid (Y-MHFA) training for African Methodist Episcopal (AME) church leaders in Johnston County, NC and assess whether the adapted training is acceptable, feasible, and effective in increasing the capacity of church leaders to identify, support, and refer youth with mental health challenges. Need/Problem: North Carolina is experiencing a youth [...]

15 05, 2023

Do APOE4+ women stand to benefit from menopausal hormone therapy? Piloting an experimental therapeutics approach to accelerate progress in dementia prevention research | Walsh | $44,875

Do APOE4+ women stand to benefit from menopausal hormone therapy? Piloting an experimental therapeutics approach to accelerate progress in dementia prevention research. 2023 Award: $44,875 Menopausal hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is not currently recommended to reduce risk for Alzheimer’s disease. However, emerging evidence suggests women who are APOE-4 carriers (the “Alzheimer’s gene”) may benefit from early initiation of HRT during the menopausal transition to reduce Alzheimer’s risk. We will pilot a short-term randomized, placebo-controlled trial to determine the potential efficacy of perimenopausal estrogen treatment to improve cognitive and brain markers associated with Alzheimer’s Disease in APOE-4 carriers compared to non-carriers. Need/Problem: Menopausal hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is not currently recommended to reduce risk for Alzheimer’s disease. However, emerging evidence suggests women who are APOE-4 carriers (the “Alzheimer’s gene”) may benefit from early initiation of HRT during the menopausal transition [...]