Explore New Antidepressant Treatments With Systems Neurobiology

Depression is one of the most common affliction worldwide, in all more than 300 million people of all ages are diagnosed with depression. Nevertheless, psychological and pharmaceutical solutions exist to fight this disease. We interviewed Albert Adell, from Systems Neurobiology, a Spanish lab, who is currently studying new fast-acting antidepressant treatments.

Dr. Albert Adell

Tell us more about you?

I got my Ph.D. in Biology back in 1986. For more than 20 years I have been devoted to the study of the mechanism of action of antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs. Now I am more focused on the study of new molecular entities with rapid antidepressant acting drugs (RAADs).

About your lab, what is its history, its mission?

The techniques currently used in my lab are in vivo extracellular recording and intracerebral microdialysis. We also use Western blotting, PCR, behavioral assessment and intracellular signaling.

What services does your lab offer?

Besides the techniques described above, my lab also offers a determination of brain neurotransmitter in cerebral tissue by means of ultra HPLC with electrochemical detection.

What sets your expertise apart from others?

I believe that the combination of all these techniques in my lab, together with other analytical techniques present in my Institution offers a unique opportunity to study mood disorders in an animal setting.

What challenges are you willing to address in the near future?

My main research projects now deal with the study of the rapid antidepressant properties of positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) of the AMPA glutamate receptor (a.k.a. ampakines).

What do you expect from Scientist?

I expect to establish good networking in order to share research and joint ventures.

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