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Chronobiology and affective disorders

Major depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide and current treatments are limited in terms of efficacy, delay of action and undesirable side effects. Light plays a critical role, directly and through the circadian system on clock function, sleep regulation, and cognitive and emotional brain responses. Chronobiological mechanisms are considered to play a significant role in affective disorders and recent data point recent advances have confirmed the use of light exposure strategies in novel treatments for affective disorders. Our team is dedicated to study the control mechanisms of chronobiological rhythms and fast and effective antidepressant responses. Our strategy has two main axes:

  • Non-visual responses to light: mechanisms and applications. Our objective is to understand the basic mechanisms of non-visual photoreception and the effects of light on circadian rhythms, physiology and gene regulation in normal and pathological states. our studies address the cellular and molecular mechanisms underscoring circadian regulation, via an in-depth analysis of the photoreceptive pathways and genetic signalling of the retinal network.
  • Early-onset antidepressant strategies: neurobiological mechanisms. In vivo evaluation of the impact of fast acting antidepressants on mood and cognition as well as on cerebral networks and plasticity will provide a better understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the antidepressant responsiveness in refractory major depression. In addition, to further improve antidepressants effectiveness, we will determine the potentiating effects of light exposure on the antidepressant response.

The results arising from the basic research of our program should be translated to potential clinical applications and be of important interest for public health.

YearAuthorsTitleJournalPubMedPDF
2023Sarah Delcourte, Amel Bouloufa, Renaud Rovera, Cécile Bétry, Erika Abrial, Ouria Dkhissi-Benyahya, Christophe Heinrich, Guillaume Marcy, Olivier Raineteau , Nasser Haddjeri, Guillaume Lucas, Adeline EtiévantChemogenetic activation of prefrontal astroglia enhances recognition memory performance in ratBiomed Pharmacother
2023 Chaimaa Kinane , Hugo Calligaro, Antonin Jandot, Christine Coutanson, Nasser Haddjeri, Mohamed Bennis, Ouria Dkhissi-BenyahyaDopamine modulates the retinal clock through melanopsin-dependent regulation of cholinergic waves during developmentBMC Biol
2022Manfredi-Lozano M, Leysen V, Adamo M, Paiva I, Rovera R, Pignat JM, Timzoura FE, Candlish M, Eddarkaoui S, Malone SA, Silva MSB, Trova S, Imbernon M, Decoster L, Cotellessa L, Tena-Sempere M, Claret M, Paoloni-Giacobino A, Plassard D, Paccou E, Vionnet N, Acierno J, Maceski AM, Lutti A, Pfrieger F, Rasika S, Santoni F, Boehm U, Ciofi P, Buée L, Haddjeri N, Boutillier AL, Kuhle J, Messina A, Draganski B, Giacobini P, Pitteloud N, Prevot VGnRH replacement rescues cognition in Down syndromeScience
2021Sébastien Bullich, Sarah Delcourte, Nasser Haddjeri, Bruno P GuiardLearned Immobility Produces Enduring Impairment of the HPA Axis Reactivity in Mice without Replicating the Broad Spectrum of Depressive-Like PhenotypeInt J Mol Sci
2021Delcourte S, Etievant A, Haddjeri NRole of central serotonin and noradrenaline interactions in the antidepressants’ action: Electrophysiological and neurochemical evidenceProgress in Brain Research
2020Etievant A, Haddjeri N, Lau TAntidepressants: Molecular Aspects of SSRIsNeuroPsychopharmacotherapy
2020H Calligaro, C Kinane, M Bennis, C Coutanson, O Dkhissi-BenyahyaA standardized method to assess the endogenous activity and the light-response of the retinal clock in mammalsMol Vis
2020Benjamin Portal, Sarah Delcourte, Renaud Rovera, Camille Lejards, Sebastien Bullich, Cécile E Malnou, Nasser Haddjeri, Nicole Déglon, Bruno P GuiardGenetic and pharmacological inactivation of astroglial connexin 43 differentially influences the acute response of antidepressant and anxiolytic drugsActa Physiol (Oxf)
2019Calligaro H, Coutanson C, Najjar RP, Mazzaro N, Cooper HM, Haddjeri N, Felder-Schmittbuhl MP, Dkhissi-Benyahya ORods contribute to the light-induced phase shift of the retinal clock in mammalsPLoS Biol
2019Adeline Etievant, Thorsten Lau, Guillaume Lucas, Nasser HaddjeriSerotonin Neuronal Function from the Bed to the Bench: Is This Really a Mirrored Way?eNeuro