Project information
Biomarkers and underlying mechanisms of vulnerability to depression (VULDE)

Depression is the leading chronic condition in Europe and fourth leading cause of mortality woldwide. It is twice more prevalent in women compared with men and associated with dysregulation of HPA-HPG axis and ovarian dysfunction. Its comorbidity with obesity, cardiovascular issues, and prenatal stress might give us further hints to understand the neurobiological mechanisms of depression. This current project aims to identify the early hormonal and neuroimaging biomarkers of depression and explain the potential underlying mechanisms of vulnerability to depression. The applicant will be based at Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Brno, Czech Republic and use data from 120 clinicaly healthy young adults from the European Longitudinal Study of Children and Parents (ELSPAC). Her experience with populaiton-based studies, neuroimaging, and psychoneuroendocrinology as well as collaboraions with world-known research centers abroad complement with the experitse in structural, functional, and effective connectivity analyses of CEITEC researchers. Providing the ELSPAC dataset with neuroimaging data and saliva samples will increase the potential of this uniqe study, and attract new collaborators and students. Having access to such a dataset as well as mastering the methods for studying brain connectivity would be an asset her for future career development.