Postdok
Anna Kazmierowska, MSc Psykologi, ph.d. i biologi
Bajkgrunn
Anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) involve testosterone and its synthetic derivatives. They are known for their muscle mass increasing properties and thus are widely used to enhance athletic performance in both professionals and amateurs. As a result of the AAS use, testosterone levels can increase up to 100 times, which can disrupt natural testosterone production and lead to physical and psychiatric consequences. Previous findings of our research group have indicated a range of AAS devastating effects on e.g. structural brain aging, cardiovascular health, cognitive performance, emotional processing and mental health. Particular deficits have also been linked to long AAS use and dependence (being the case in approximately 30% of AAS users).
Metode/design
A follow-up study (round 3) is planned, in which AAS users and weight-lifting controls who have participated in round 2 and/or 1 will be recruited. We hope to collect follow-up measures of brain structure, cardiac structure and function, cognitive performance and psychological well-being. Additionally, we plan to investigate body MR scans (to look at the muscle measures and fat distribution), blood samples (to investigate telomere length and relevant inflammatory markers) and emotional processing (physiological responses to emotional stimuli). Interviews aiming at assessing AAS dependence will also be carried out, and a battery of questionnaires covering topics such as mental health, side effects and motivations to use/quit AAS will be used.
Status
Data collection has started in January 2025.
GenSUD
Postdok
Morgan Elizabeth Scarth
Bakgrunn
Substance use disorders (SUDs) are a leading cause of premature mortality, and frequently co-occur with other psychiatric and somatic diseases. Multi-morbidity is associated with poorer treatment outcome, and significantly contributes to excess mortality. SUDs are complex disorders with high heritability, yet the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. This knowledge gap has impeded the development of targeted and effective treatment options, particularly considering the complexity of identifying and treating patients with multiple diagnoses including SUD. The differences among SUD patients with comorbid diagnoses may reflect differences in the underlying biology. Thus, there is a need for a better understanding of the heterogeneity.
Metode/design
The GenSUD project will contribute critical insights into the etiology of SUDs, by discerning patterns of disease trajectories using large Norwegian samples with registry data. Furthermore, the project aims to unravel shared genetic risks with mental and somatic diseases to understand underlying molecular pathways. Using data from the Norwegian Patient Registry, we will characterize the SUD patient group and identify clusters of multi-morbidity as well as temporal disease trajectories, taking into account the sequence of diagnoses preceding and following SUD diagnosis. Finally, blood samples from a subpopulation of SUD patients will be used to compute polygenic risk scores to identify genetic overlap psychiatric and somatic diseases and SUD-related phenotypes.
Status
The project received approval from REK on 6 December. We have begun analyzing data from the Norwegian Patient Registry and collecting blood samples from patients at rusakuttmottak.