5. Laboratory for Translational and Clinical Neuroscience

The Laboratory for Translational and Clinical Neuroscience conducts research on the molecular genetic, endophenotypic, neurophysiological, neurochemical and neuroimmune foundations for integrative brain functions and neurovisceral relationships in the norm, with mental, psychosomatic disorders and with neurodegenerative diseases.

The Laboratory will generate new knowledge about multimodal endophenotypes and the risks of their occurrence, prognosis for the dynamics and sensitivity to neuropharmacological therapy and methods for non-invasive nonpharmacologic stimulation of the brain of affective neurodegenerative diseases.

The Laboratory is currently conducting the following studies:

  • Development of personalized technologies for endophenotypic diagnostics and non-pharmacological treatments for depression and anxiety disorders.
  • Mechanisms for the development of cognitive deficits and neurodegenerative changes in ontogenesis on experimental models of neurodegenerative disorders with different origins and an assessment of the possibility for their treatment.
  • The influence of MPTP on the development of cognitive deficits in mice, as well as the possibility of using a diol to correct cognitive deficits in mice caused by the introduction of MPTP.
  • Molecular mechanisms for the interaction of genetic risk factors with adverse environmental events in the development of mental diseases.
  • The role of glial cells (astrocytes and microglia) and molecular signaling pathways in these cells as convergent targets of gene-environment interaction (GxE).

Laboratory partners: Research Institute of Physiology and Fundamental Medicine, Higher School of Economics (Moscow), Scientific Center of Neurology (Moscow), Scientific Center for Mental Health (Moscow), Biological Pharmaceutical cluster "Severniy" (Moscow), P.K. Anokhin Scientific Research Institute of Normal Physiology (Moscow), Institute of Translational Biomedicine (St. Petersburg), N. I. Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Scientific Research Institute “Neurosciences”, Nizhny Novgorod State Medical Academy of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, University of South California (LA), Brain Clinics (Neimegen, the Netherlands).

Laboratory Head: Lyubomir Aftanas, liaftanas@gmail.com