Genetics

Background

Emotional dysregulation is a defining trait of major mental illnesses. The ability to identify individuals susceptible to emotional instability will be important in limiting the burden of disease from these illnesses. Mental conditions cost the Australian economy approximately $14.9 billion per annum, and depression will be the second leading contributor to burden of disease by 2020. Identifying the gene-brain-behaviour markers that best capture emotional instability versus resilience is crucial to developing new tools and strategies for early intervention and prevention in otherwise healthy individuals.

Objectives

The aims of this research include:

• Identifying the genetic and environmental markers of emotional well-being and brain function.
• Understanding the gene-environment-brain-body pathways to emotional health versus psychopathology, with a focus on the mediating and moderating mechanisms that distinguish risk versus resilience in different individuals.
• Identifying the relative heritability of various brain and body function measures in twins.
• Applying gene-brain-behaviour models to clinical groups.

Current Projects:

Emotional Well-being Project draws on the INTEGRATE model and is funded by an ARC-linkage grant (LP0883621, Gene-brain pathways in emotional brain stability and instability)