Synopsis of recent research by authors named "Aniek Joosen"
- Aniek Joosen's research primarily investigates the impact of seasonal variations in environmental light on mood disorders, particularly focusing on the mechanisms behind depression and mania switching in bipolar disorder (BD) and seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
- Findings from her studies suggest that short-active photoperiods enhance acetylcholine signaling in the hippocampus, contributing to behavioral changes associated with mood states in both humans and animal models.
- Additionally, her work highlights that mice with reduced dopamine transporter (DAT) levels display behavior patterns analogous to seasonal mood switching seen in bipolar disorder, reinforcing the importance of understanding these mechanisms for developing effective therapeutics.
