Newton001 Tackling mental health disorders in females
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Bristol
Department Name: Physiology and Pharmacology
Abstract
Poverty is associated with poor mental health: the incidence is highest in socio-economic classes C and D and mental health issues are more prevalent in women than men. Poor mental health impacts on the welfare of afflicted individuals as well as the social and economic development of societies. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is one of the most common mental health disturbances in women. The peri-menopause is another time in women's lives that is characterised by psychological distress. Depressive illness also has a high prevalence in women. Despite the female bias in mental health disorders, the vast majority of basic research into psychiatric diseases and development of new drug treatments continues to be carried out almost exclusively using male animal models.
Our programme of research has been designed to educate th public about mental health issues specifically related to women. We also aim to improve training got young research workers in order to strengthen the research base in the field of female mental health. There are three main objectives:
1.to consolidate and expand an existing collaboration between research groups in the UK and Brazil working on female mental health disorders
2. to set up training programme for young scientists on the special approaches required for research on females
3. to develop an educational programme to stimulate public engagement and understanding of mental health issues.
Our programme of research has been designed to educate th public about mental health issues specifically related to women. We also aim to improve training got young research workers in order to strengthen the research base in the field of female mental health. There are three main objectives:
1.to consolidate and expand an existing collaboration between research groups in the UK and Brazil working on female mental health disorders
2. to set up training programme for young scientists on the special approaches required for research on females
3. to develop an educational programme to stimulate public engagement and understanding of mental health issues.
Technical Summary
We will continue to pursue our ongoing basic and clinical research programmes in our laboratories in the UK and Brazil. The work we are doing is addressing an unmet clinical need for a fuller understanding of the biological basis of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), peri-menopause and depression in order to develop more rapid and effective diagnosis and treatments.
We will run a Summer School on The Female Brain and Psychiatric Illness, to beheld in Riberirao Preto Brazil in 2015 for post graduate students and early career researchers. The Summer School will focus on training in special approaches and techniques for designing and carrying out research in females.
Public education and engagement.
Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are a very effective way to engage and educate a wide lay audience. We will work with a specialist Brazilian company to translate our existing MOOC on brain function into Portuguese, in order to reach the widest Brazilian audience. We will also advise on developing a new MOOC on The Female Brain.
We will run a Summer School on The Female Brain and Psychiatric Illness, to beheld in Riberirao Preto Brazil in 2015 for post graduate students and early career researchers. The Summer School will focus on training in special approaches and techniques for designing and carrying out research in females.
Public education and engagement.
Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are a very effective way to engage and educate a wide lay audience. We will work with a specialist Brazilian company to translate our existing MOOC on brain function into Portuguese, in order to reach the widest Brazilian audience. We will also advise on developing a new MOOC on The Female Brain.
Planned Impact
N/A
People |
ORCID iD |
| Thelma Lovick (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Batistela MF
(2021)
Enhanced responsiveness to hypoxic panicogenic challenge in female rats in late diestrus is suppressed by short-term, low-dose fluoxetine: Involvement of the dorsal raphe nucleus and the dorsal periaqueductal gray.
in Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England)
Brandão M
(2019)
Role of the dorsal periaqueductal gray in posttraumatic stress disorder: mediation by dopamine and neurokinin
in Translational Psychiatry
Calvo F
(2018)
The endogenous opioid system modulates defensive behavior evoked by Crotalus durissus terrificus : Panicolytic-like effect of intracollicular non-selective opioid receptors blockade
in Journal of Psychopharmacology
Carvalho MC
(2021)
Influence of estrous cycle stage on acquisition and expression of fear conditioning in female rats.
in Physiology & behavior
Ferreira-Sgobbi R
(2021)
Panic-like responses of female Wistar rats confronted by Bothrops alternatus pit vipers, or exposure to acute hypoxia: Effect of oestrous cycle
in European Journal of Neuroscience
Lovick TA
(2017)
A specific profile of luteal phase progesterone is associated with the development of premenstrual symptoms.
in Psychoneuroendocrinology
Lovick TA
(2021)
Effect of Estrous Cycle on Behavior of Females in Rodent Tests of Anxiety.
in Frontiers in psychiatry
Machado Figueiredo R
(2019)
Short-term, low-dose fluoxetine prevents oestrous cycle-linked increase in anxiety-like behaviour in female rats
in Journal of Psychopharmacology
Soares-Rachetti Vde P
(2016)
Short term, low dose fluoxetine blocks estrous cycle-linked changes in responsiveness to diazepam in female rats.
in Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England)
| Description | Women who suffer adverse premenstrual psychological symptoms experience a sharp fall in secretions the sex hormone progesterone. inwoven who remain asymptomatic, progesterone secretion declines only gradually. Female rats used as a model for women, displayed increased responsiveness to mild stress during the equivalent period of their menstrual (oestrus) cycle. Short term administration of a low dose of fluoxetine, a safe and widely used anti anxiety drug in humans, prevented the occurrence of symptoms in rats. The findings have implications for the development of new treatment for premenstrual symptoms inwoven, which impact in a negative way on their daily lives, lives of friends and colleagues and on their contribution to society and the economy in general. |
| Exploitation Route | http://Two further small Research Mobility grants have been awarded by FAPESP to Brazilian colleagues at USP-Ribeirão Preto, to fund two visits by Lovick (in 2019 and 2020) to Brazil to push the work forward. This continues to be a very successful colaboration. |
| Sectors | Healthcare,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
| Description | Following on from the results obtained in an animals model, a preliminary clinical trial into the efficacy of low dose fluoxetine to treat premenstrual syndrome in women was carried out. Outcome: analysis of data suggests a trend towards 10mg fluoxetine taken during the luteal phase being helpful in reducing symptoms. The study warrants a much larger trial. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2018 |
| Sector | Healthcare |
| Description | FAPESP: CONFAP-CNPq- The UK ACADEMIES 2018: Research Mobility for UK Researchers in Brazil. |
| Amount | R$ 33,000 (BRL) |
| Organisation | São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | Brazil |
| Start | 01/2020 |
| End | 03/2020 |
| Description | RCUK/CONFAP Newton Grant |
| Amount | £49,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | MR/M026574/1 |
| Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2015 |
| End | 01/2016 |
| Description | UK Academies/CONFAP Research mobility grant. |
| Amount | R$ 48,000 (BRL) |
| Organisation | CONFAP Research Mobility Grant |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | Brazil |
| Start | |
| Description | Hormone-Linked adverse behavioural states in females |
| Organisation | Universidade de São Paulo |
| Department | Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine |
| Country | Brazil |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Jan-March 2020. Two month visits to USP-Ribeirao Preto, Brazil to work with Dr Zangrossi's team. Funded by FAPESP: CONFAP-CNPq- The UK ACADEMIES 2018: Research Mobility for UK Researchers in Brazil to Dr Hélio Zangrossi, Dept Pharmacology, USP-Ribeirão Preto, Brazil |
| Collaborator Contribution | Dr Zangrossi provided laboratory facilities and research personnel dedicated to the project. |
| Impact | Four scientific papers have been published: 1. Carvalho MC, Genaro K, Leite-Panissi,, Lovick TA (2021). Influence of estrous cycle stage on acquisition and expression of fear conditioning in female rats. Physiology & Behavior 234: 113372. 2. Lovick TA, Zangrossi H Jr (2021). Effect of estrous cycle on behavior of females in rodent tests of anxiety. Frontiers in Psychiatry12:711065. Special Topic on Animal Models in Psychiatry. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.711065 3. Batistela MF, Vilela-Costa HH, Frias AT, Lovick TA, Zangrossi Jr H (2021). Enhanced responsiveness to hypoxic panicogenic challenge in female rats in late diestrus is suppressed by short term, low dose fluoxetine: involvement of the dorsal raphe nucleus and the dorsal periaqueductal gray. J Psychopharmacol 35:1523-1535. 4. Ferreira-Sgobbi R, Machado de Figueiredo R, Frias AT, Matthiesen M, Batistela MF, Falconi-Sobrinho LL, Vilela-Costa, HH, Sá SI, Lovick TA, Zangrossi Jr H, Coimbra NC (2021). Panic-like responses of female rats confronted by Bothrops alternatus pit vipers, or exposure to acute hypoxia: Effect of oestrous cycle. Europ J Neurosci. doi: 10.1111/ejn.15548 Prof Lovick and Dr Zangrossi developed a new postgraduate teaching module "Understanding the neurobiological bases for sex-related differences in emotional behaviour". This course, open to all interested postgraduate research workers in the University, was delivered in February 2020. The course was designed to highlight some of the already known differences between male and female brain function, to address the need for include females in all medically-related research projects, and to consider factors that need to be taken into account when designing new research projects that include use of females. Feedback from students was very positive. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Premenstrual dysphoric states |
| Organisation | Universidade de São Paulo |
| Department | Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine |
| Country | Brazil |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | UK Academies/CONFAP Research mobility grant. 2016/50418-0 Visiting Foreign Researcher. PI Dr J A Anselmo-Franci, University of São Paolo - Ribeirão Preto, Brazil. Translational studies to tackle premenstrual dysphoric states in women. R$48,000. This supported Prof Lovick to work with Dr Anselmo-Franci and collaborators in Brazil Jan-March 2018. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Dr Anselmo-Franci's research teams, together with research workers from Dept Psychopharmacology (Dr Carvalho), Dept Pharmacology (Dr Coimbra), INeC (Institute of neuroscience and Behaviour) (Prof Brandao) and Dept Psychiatry, (Prof Del Ben, Dr Faleiros, Dr Guapos carried out experimental work developing i)animal models of panic behaviour ii) the effect of the estrous cycle in females iii) a novel use of short term low dose fluoxetine to ameliorate "premenstrua"syndrome in rats. A small clinical trial in women was carried out to investigate the potential of low dose fluoxetine to treat premenstrual syndrome inwomen. Outcome: publication of three research papers. |
| Impact | Multidisciplinary research collaboration between basic scientists and clinicians at USP-Ribeirao Preto, Brazil. Three papers published, 1. Calvo F, Lobão-Soares B, de Freitas LR, Paschoalin-Maurin T, dos Anjos-Garcia T, Medeiros P, Almeida da Silva J, Lovick TA, Coimbra NC (2019). Endogenous opioid peptide-mediated system modulates defensive behaviour evoked in presence of Crotalus durissus terrificus: Antipanic-like effect of intracollicular opioid receptors blockade. J Psychopharmacol. 33 51-61. 2. Machado Figueredo R, Carvalho MC, Brandão ML, Lovick TA (2019). Short term, low dose fluoxetine prevents estrous cycle-linked increase in anxiety-like behaviour in female rats. J Psychopharmacol. 33 548-557. 3. Brandão ML, Lovick TA (2019). "Role of the dorsal periaqueductal gray in posttraumatic stress disorder: mediation by dopamine and neurokinin" Translational Psychiatry 9:232 doi.org/10.1038/s41398-019-0565-8 |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | estrogen profile during the menstrual cycle and relation to premenstrual syndrome |
| Organisation | Federal University of Sao Carlos |
| Country | Brazil |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Discussion on experimental design, practical work in the lab, analysis of data, preparation of material for publication |
| Collaborator Contribution | Discussion on experimental design, practical work in the lab, analysis of data, preparation of material for publication |
| Impact | Lovick TA, Guapo VG, Anselmo-Franci JA, Loureiro CM, Faleiros MCM, Del Ben CM , Brandão ML (2016) A specific profile of luteal phase progesterone is associated with the development of premenstrual symptoms. Psychoneuroendocrinology 75 83-90. Multidisciplinary - basic medical sciences (animal behavior); neuroendocrinology; pscyhiatry. 2. Calvo F, Lobão-Soares B, de Freitas LR, Paschoalin-Maurin T, dos Anjos-Garcia T, Medeiros P, Almeida da Silva J, Lovick TA, Coimbra NC (2019). Endogenous opioid peptide-mediated system modulates defensive behaviour evoked in presence of Crotalus durissus terrificus: Antipanic-like effect of intracollicular opioid receptors blockade. J Psychopharmacol. 33 51-61. 3. Machado Figueiredo R, Carvalho MC, Brandão ML, Lovick TA (2019). Short term, low dose fluoxetine prevents estrous cycle-linked increase in anxiety-like behaviour in female rats. J Psychopharmacol. 33 548-557. |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Title | intermittent low dose fluoxetine for premenstrual syndrome |
| Description | A small scale clinical trial funded locally was carried out in Brazil to investigate the effects of 3 different doses of fluoxetine on the development of adverse premenstrual symptoms in women. Analysis of data indicated a trend for 10mg to be effective, indicating the value of carrying out a larger trial. |
| Type | Health and Social Care Services |
| Current Stage Of Development | Initial development |
| Year Development Stage Completed | 2019 |
| Development Status | On hold |
| Impact | noe as yet |
| Description | Massive Online Open access Course (MOOC) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | We have translated and launched a version in Brazilian Portuguese of the highly successful Massive Online Open Course "Good Brain Bad Brain - basics", which is one of the most successful MMOCs currently available in English. This is now available on-line (www.inec-usp.org) hosted by the Insituto de Neurociencias e Comportamento, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil. This interactive educational course aims to educate the public about the basic aspects of brain function. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | http://www.inec-usp.org |
| Description | Neurociências como Arte - exhibition of images of the brain for Brain Awareness Week, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Exhibition: a selection of scientific images of the brain and artistic impressions of the brain. Part of programme for Brain Awareness Week - open to the pub and held at Instituto de Neurociençias e Comportamento, Ribeirão Preto Brazil, 11th March, 2019. Aim was to highlight the beauty of the brain was revealed by neuroscience and how it has stimulated the imagination of artists. Part of a programme of events and seminars for Bfran Awareness Week for the general public on different aspects of brain function. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Press release by University of Bristol |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Press release to highlight research work on biological basis of premenstrual syndrome and envelopment of possible new forms of treatment |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| Description | Workshop on Understanding the Female Brain and behaviour |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Brazil-UK Workshop held over 5 days for postgraduate students a and early career researchers to highlight the special problems associated with designing and carrying out research into the functioning the female brain. We received excellent feedback form participants. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| URL | http://www.inec-eventos.org |