A. Squassina, Italy
University of Cagliari Department of Biomedical SciencesDr. Alessio Squassina has a degree in Biology, a PhD in Neuroscience and a Specialty in Applied Pharmacology. He trained as a pharmacologist and molecular biologist in Italy and Canada. He is assistant professor of pharmacology at the University of Cagliari, Italy and adjunct assistant professor at the Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada. His research focuses on the pharmacogenomics of mood stabilizers and the genetics of mood disorders.
Presenter of 2 Presentations
Symposium: Genomic and Transcriptome Signatures of Endophenotypes of Major Depressive Disorder: Recent Insights, Current Challenges and Future Prospects (ID 77)
No Topic Needed
S0008 - Telomere Attrition and Inflammatory Load in Major Depressive Disorder
Session Icon
Date
Sun, 11.04.2021
Session Time
08:00 - 09:30
Room
Channel 4
Lecture Time
08:51 - 09:08
Presenter
ABSTRACT
Abstract Body
Patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) present features that suggest the involvement of accelerated aging, such as increased circulating inflammatory markers and shorter telomere length (TL). Here we measured T-lymphocytes TL with quantitative fluorescent in situ hybridization (Q-FISH) and plasma levels of inflammatory markers in a cohort of 37 patients with MDD and 36 non-psychiatric controls (C). TL was shorter in MDD compared to C (F=8.52, p=0.005). Patients with treatment resistant (TR) MDD showed higher levels of TNFα compared to non-TR (adjusted p= 0.034) and C (adjusted p=0.025), suggesting that treatment resistance might be associated with increased inflammation compared to non-TR.
Symposium: Genomic and Transcriptome Signatures of Endophenotypes of Major Depressive Disorder: Recent Insights, Current Challenges and Future Prospects (ID 77)
No Topic Needed
S0009 - Live Q&A
Session Icon
Date
Sun, 11.04.2021
Session Time
08:00 - 09:30
Room
Channel 4
Lecture Time
09:08 - 09:28