Supervisor View Full Details

• neuroscience and mental health
• Other - please suggest keyword(s):

• Medicine
• Surgery
• Anaesthetics
• Paediatrics

• Adolescent medicine
• Endocrinology
• Infectious diseases
• Immunology
• Neonatology
• Neurophysiology
• Neuropsychiatry
• Pharmacology
• Physiology
• Psychiatry

Dr Roches research group focuses on increasing understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms underpinning affective disorders (stress/depression/autism), pain and their interactions. A wide variety of in vivo and ex vivo methodologies to evaluate the role of specific neurotransmitters, lipids, immune factors in these processes, with a particular focus on the role of the endocannabinoid and immune systems. In order to investigate these issues, many of the experiments involve the use of an integrative, whole-systems approach due to the complex nature of the nervous system. Current projects focus on (1) understanding the role of opioids and endocannabinoids in altered emotional processing associated with autism (2) elucidating biological mechanisms underlying the association between altered affective processing and chronic pain (3) generation and validation of novel animal models of pain-affect co-morbidity, (4) modulation of neuroinflammatory processes as potential therapeutic avenues for affective disorders and pain. To date, the Roche group have published over 35 peer reviewed original research papers, 6 review articles, 3 book chapters and presented work at over 80 conferences. For full bibliography and list of publications see http://www.nuigalway.ie/our-research/people/michelleroche/

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by impaired social interactions, deficits in communication and restrictive, repetitive stereotyped patterns of behaviours, with an estimated prevalence of approximately 1:88. In addition, autism is also associated with comorbidites including gastrointestinal disturbances, altered pain processing, enhanced risk of infection and depression/anxiety. While behavioural therapy has been demonstrated to be beneficial in managing some symptoms, the lack of pharmacological-based treatment of this disorder is widely recognized. In order to develop more effective treatments and management of the symptoms of autism, further understanding of the neurobiology underlying this condition is required. Thus to this end, the Roche group examines the neurobiological underpinnings underlying affective disorders (depression/stress/autism) and pain, and their interactions. The proposed project aims to expand on the current data, using clinical and preclinical studies to examine altered emotional and nociceptive processing associated with autism and identify neurobiological alterations that may inform on the pathogenesis of the condition, provide novel biomarkers and possibly identify novel treatment targets for symptoms associated with autism.

Specifically, the project proposed for the ICAT Clinical PhD programme will involve evaluating pain using psychometric and psychological methods) in autisic children post surgery, and determining if immune parameters (cytokines and immune profiles) and/or endogenous cannabis-like compounds (endocannabinoids) may be a useful biomarker of subsequent post-operative pain intensity. Preclinical validated animal models will be used in order to replicate the clinical scenario and further understand the possible neurobiological changes that mediate the altered pain processing observed in autism including the impact of modulating such alterations. Thus, the PhD student will work as part of a multi-disciplinary (anesthesiology, psychology, neuroscience), multi-centre (NUI Galway and Temple Street Children?s University Hospital) collaborative team that aims to provide greater understanding of altered pain processing associated with autism and possible neurobiological underpinnings.