Maria Lindskog

Assistant professor, Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet

Membership period 2011–2016

Finding a treatment for psychiatric diseases is one of today’s large challenges and a complicating factor is that there is no tangible mechanisms that can serve as biological marker in the study of affective disorders. A paradigm shift is taking place in depression research,where recent discoveries suggest that mis-regulation of normal neuronal activity is causing the disease. We use animal models of depression to ask how neuron-neuron interaction at the synapse is regulated and how deficits in specific features of the regulation correspond to depressive behaviors. We have investigated how modulatory systems such as dopamine, noradrenalin and histamine affect synapse function and how these systems can be targeted for antidepressant treatements. Currently we are interested in how the non-neuronal cells are important for regulating synaptic activity.

MORE INFO

2014 KI: How physical exercise protects the brain from stress-induced depressionExternal link, opens in new window. External link.

2012-02-28 New discoveries on depression External link.

BILDER

1. The picture is a disk from a part of the brain, hippocampus, from a rat taken through the microscope. The bulb pipette that is visible in this image is an electrode that we use to measure the signals between nerv cells 2. Photo: Markus Marcetic 3. Photo: Erik Thor (Click to enlarge)

CONTACT

mia.lindskog@ki.se
External link, opens in new window.Mia Lindskog at Karolinska Institutet, Lindskog Laboratory External link.

(Click for high resolution portrait) Photo: Erik Thor

KORTA FAKTA

Born: 1972
Family: Husband Mårten Lindskog and three kids named Gustaf, Elisa and Ansel
Interests: Outdoor life

“The meetings with the Young Academy of Sweden inspires and challenges; and it is very rewarding having the opportunity to think together with all the competent members from different areas of research. The open and constructive discussion atmosphere is one of the things I appreciate most. Moreover, the Academy provides so many possibilities for outreach and influence. When we do things together with our secretariat we can accomplish a lot without it becoming too much for a single member. E.g. organizing the summer camp 'Research Encounters' for highschool students was extremely rewarding and we had so much there.”