Hagit Cohen

The laboratory focuses on translational studies of stress-related psychopathology, primarily post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, with a specific emphasis on factors influencing individual test subjects’ responses to psychological stress. Why do some individuals who are exposed to stress develop PTSD while others do not? What renders one individual susceptible and another resilient to adverse experiences? Some of these distinctions are most certainly related to functional psychological factors, but the molecular pathways underlying fear neural circuitry in animals expressing high vs. low fear responses have not been demonstrated, nor has the relationship between these neural circuits and peripheral markers been determined. What areas of the brain and which neurobiological mechanisms are involved in these processes? Our goal is to understand the potential biological foundations of vulnerability and resilience to stress, as well as avenues for treatment or prevention. To achieve this, we delve into various factors such as gender-related, genetic, physiological, pharmacological, morphological, and bio-molecular elements that are present before, during, and after exposure to stress. By categorizing study subjects based on their individual response patterns, which mirror clinical diagnostic criteria, and analyzing data from severely, minimally, and partially affected animals, we aim to explore the intricate relationship between behavior and biological parameters.