Lauryn Hong Rose Hills
Effects of TRF in in Mania and Metabolism in a Bipolar Mouse Model
Bipolar disorder (BD) is a mental illness characterized by pronounced shifts in mood, energy, and motivation. People with BD show disturbances in circadian rhythms manifested as irregular sleep and diurnal activity patterns, and differences in circadian gene expression. BD affects over 30 million people worldwide.
Mice with a dominant negative mutation in the core circadian gene, Clock (ClockΔ19 mice), have been proposed as a model for BD, with mice showing hyperactivity, decreased sleep, increased risk-taking behavior, and increased reward sensitivity. These mice are also susceptible to obesity and metabolic dysfunction, analogous to people with BD who have a higher risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Time-restricted eating is a nutrition intervention that limits the window of food consumption to 10-12 hours a day. TRE has shown to improve metabolic and circadian functioning in humans as well as increase longevity in mice.
My summer project seeks to investigate if time restricted feeding (TRF) in ClockΔ19 mice can rescue manic-like symptoms, as well as examine the behavioral, physiological, and neurological consequences of TRF treatment.
Message To Sponsor
Thank you for supporting my summer research! I am so grateful and thrilled for the opportunity to learn more about the impact of circadian rhythm on bipolar disorder and its possible influences on metabolism. Your support makes it possible for me to learn new skills and contribute to a field I am passionate about- thank you!