SPECIAL Seminar Wednesday, December 5, 2018
MicroRNAs as Diagnostic Markers and Therapeutic Targets in Brain Injury And Psychiatric Disorder
Speaker:
Nagaraja S Balakathiresan Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology
Staff Scientist, HJF
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences,
F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine
Title:
MicroRNAs as Diagnostic Markers and Therapeutic Targets in Brain Injury And Psychiatric Disorder
Abstract:
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is currently considered the most complex disease in the most complex organ. TBI is now one of the leading causes of disability and death worldwide. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health problem of complex somatic, cognitive, affective, and behavioral effects of psychological trauma. Characterization of TBI and PTSD pathology reveals distinct and dynamic cellular and molecular changes. MiRNAs are a class of small endogenous non-coding RNA molecules that regulate post-transcriptional gene expression. Several studies have shown miRNA play a critical role during the short and long-term development of TBI and in psychiatric disorder pathology. MiRNA expression studies revealed their potential use as a blood-based diagnostic biomarker. Functional and network analysis of altered miRNA expression in TBI and PTSD indicates the possible use as therapeutic targets.