Emory Conte Center for the Neuroscience of Mental Disorders: Psychobiology of Childhood Trauma

This primary goal of this Center is to characterize the neurobiological consequences of early-life trauma. The Center comprises 6 projects that include human subjects. Human subjects are recruited through Project 6.

Project 2: Psychoimmunology (PI A.H. Miller) Project 4: A Model of Learned Safety(PI: M. Davis) Project 6: Clinical Psychobiology(PI: C. Heim) Project 7: Children of Depressed Mothers(PI: Z. Stowe) Project 8: Functional Brain Imaging (PIs: H.S. Mayberg, G. Berns) Project 9: Structural & Anatomical Connectivity Studies (PI: C.Kilts, X. Hu).

Project 2: The study seeks to examine the impact of psychosocial stress on neuroendocrine and immune signaling pathways of adult men and women with and without major depression who have experienced serious trauma (abuse, loss) during development. Serial blood samples will be collected at baseline and after an acute speech/math stressor (see Project 6). Assessments include IL-1alpha, and beta, IL-6, TNF alpha as well as DNS binding of relevant neuroendocrine-immune transcription factors, i.e. GR, CREB, and NFkB.

Project 4: This study uses a model of that allows for the independent evaluation of excitation and inhibition of fear-conditioning measured with the acoustic startle reflex. In addition, a dark-enhanced startle paradigm will be used that tests for anxiety. The effects of early-life stress will be evaluated in humans with and without major depressive disorder.

Project 6: This study assesses neuroendocrine and autonomic responses to stress and pharmacological challenge in subjects with and without major depression who have or have nor experienced early life stress. We seek to identify causes of variability in neuroendocrine-autonomic outcome after early life stress. To achieve this principle aim, we study the role of moderating and mediating factors including gender, genotype, type/timing of childhood trauma, as well as the role of adulthood trauma, comorbidity and cognitive dysfunction. The projects serves as a human subjects core for the other projects.