Approved research

Mechanism of resilience, resistance, and neuroplasticity in the brain

Lay summary

This project aims to investigate the neuroprotective mechanisms that make some individuals at risk of developing neurodegeneration or neuropsychiatric disorders resilient to disease. Compared to the study of genetic and environmental factors leading to disease, the research in protective factors have been largely neglected.  The project will use multimodal data from the UK Biobank to identify resilient individuals-participants at high risk of disease who perform better than expected-and study the underlying genetic and environmental factors that contribute to the protective mechanism. The project will have a duration of 5 years and could lead to the discovery of new therapeutic targets-drugs or other interventions that can prevent or slow the progression of disease-which is especially important for neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric conditions, where disease-modifying treatments are still lacking.