Research Project Outline
The fi nding that chronic antidepressant (AD)-treatment in-creases the level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in brain raised a possibility that BDNF is a key molecule im-plicated in pathology of depression and biological response to AD treatment. Nevertheless, molecular and cellular mech-anisms that link BDNF action with severe and antidepressant-resistant depression remain ill-defi ned. In this project, we have assumed that defi cits in secretion and processing of BDNF are crucial causes of intractable depression and resistance to AD exposure. Based on this hypothesis, we will attempt the development of new diagnosis and treatment techniques for patients with sever intractable depression and insensitivity to AD treatment by clarifying molecular pathogenesis of depres-sion, searching for blood biomarkers, and by using diagnostic functional and structural imaging of brain.