Background
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric illness that affects approximately 1% of the population. OCD is responsible for profound personal and societal costs, including a substantial risk of suicide as well as an increase in general mortality. OCD is highly heritable, with twin based heritability estimates ranging between 27-47% in adults and 45-65% in children. Professor Derks (Translational Neurogenomics) recently led a study that identified 249 potential effector genes for OCD, with 25 of these classified as the most likely causal candidates. In a joint study between the Translational Neurogenomics and Cellular and Molecular Neurodegeneration groups, this project will investigate the roles of OCD risk genes on human neurons.
Aim
The expression of OCD risk genes will be modulated in healthy human stem cell-derived neurons. Following gene modulation, effects on neuron function will be investigated. This will include assessing the effects on neuron viability, marker expression and key functional proteins to understand how OCD risk genes affect neuron function.
Key assays will include:
- tissue culture,
- RNA-interference (RNAi),
- gene and protein expression studies and
- confocal microscopy.
Outcome
This project will reveal new information of the roles of OCD risk genes in human neurons. This will allow us to better understand cellular changes associated with OCD and ultimately develop new treatments.