Early Life Stress (ELS) profoundly affects the brain and is a risk factor for the development of psychiatric disorders, which often develop in later life. The developing brain is plastic, and so exposure to stress during early life has the potential to alter the developmental trajectory of the brain, leading to functional abnormalities in later life. However, in the short-term, stress can drive adaptive plasticity, mediated by key stress hormones such as cortisol. Understanding how stress during early life can promote both adaptive and maladaptive responses is critical to alleviate the burden of poor mental and physical health across the life course.
One of the well-established effects of ELS on the brain is altered neurogenesis, which is implicated in mediating behavioural defects. To investigate effects of ELS on neurodevelopment, we developed an optogenetic zebrafish model in which we can manipulate stress hormone levels non-invasively using blue light. In ELS-exposed fish, we observe enhanced neurogenesis in the hypothalamus in the short-term, however during the long-term neurogenesis is impaired.
This project will leverage this model to understand developmental trajectories underlying the effects of ELS on neurogenesis. The student will identify critical periods during development is which stress sensitivity is enhanced and investigate where the tipping point lies between adaptative and maladaptive responses to stress. The project will utilise state-of-the-art experimental techniques such as immunostaining, confocal imaging, behavioural analysis, qPCR and ELISA. You will receive full training in all relevant techniques.
