Searching for signatures of stress in the brain

Separate a mouse pup from its mother during critical phases of early development and there is a good chance it will show signs of anxiety and depression as an adult. What’s more, research has shown that the effects on the brain of such adverse events experienced in early life can be passed on to subsequent generations – at least in mice.

© Felix Petermann, Max Delbrück Center

Studies like these always fascinated Nella Christie Delva. For her doctoral thesis at Florida State University, she chose to study how some genetic and neural changes in mice may make them more likely to develop depressive-like behaviors when exposed to environmental stressors. She hopes that the research will lead to a better understanding of how similar stressors might contribute to mood disorders in people, and also what makes some people resilient despite being exposed to stressful experiences.

She focused on understanding the role of dopamine receptors in a subtype of neurons. When mice lack (D1) dopamine receptors, she found that they are less likely to exhibit depressive behaviors. Her data suggest a new mechanism that could be potentially used to treat depression, anxiety and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in people.

Effects of stress in human cells

Now at the Max Delbrück Center and supported by a Fulbright scholarship, Delva is finishing her dissertation and will soon begin research in the lab of Professor Annette Hammes-Lewin, Group Leader of the Molecular Pathways in Cortical Development lab. Hammes-Lewin has recently developed human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neuronal progenitors and neurons. These specialized cells can mimic human tissue. Delva chose the Hammes-Lewin lab because she saw an opportunity to explore the effects of stress on neural pathways in a model that is closer to human biology.

“The lab’s ability to recreate specific human cell populations that are central to stress responses is unique. It gives us a platform for testing and understanding the molecular impact of stress in ways that traditional animal models can’t fully capture,” Delva explains. She can hardly wait to start her experiments in her new setting. “Being in an environment where everyone shares ideas freely has helped me think critically and creatively, and I’m excited to see how my work grows here.”