Gabriella Gobbi, MD, PhD

Primary Axis: 
Mental Illness and Addiction
Secondary Axis: 
Neurosciences
Email: 
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Research Focus: 

Research is focused in understanding the causes of mental diseases and in the discovery of new treatments for them. In addition, studying the short- and long-term effects of cannabis use in mood and anxiety, and the potential beneficial effects of the drugs acting on the endocannabinoid system (endogenous cannabis) in the cure of mental diseases. Also of interest, is the effect of melatonin in mood, anxiety and sleep regulation in an effort to understand how novel selective ligands for melatonin receptors (called MT1 and MT2 receptors) can be used to treat seasonal depression, major depression, sleep disorders and other neuropsychiatric conditions, including the psychopharmacology of violent behaviour and the neurobiological consequences of paternal separation.

External Website: 
External Website
Keywords: 
Depression, mood disorders, cannabis, marijuana, anxiety, serotonin, electrophysiology, antidepressant drugs, anti-anxiety drugs, psychiatry, addiction, psychopharmacology
Location: 
Research and Training Building
Publications:
Dominguez Lopez S, Mahar I, Bambico FR, Labonté B, Ochoa-Sánchez R, Leyton, M, Gobbi G. Short term effects of melatonin and pinealectomy on serotonergic neuronal activity across the light-dark cycle. J Psychopharmacol. Jul 5 2011
Bambico F, Katz N, Debonnel G, Gobbi G. Cannabinoids elicit antidepressant-like activity and activate the serotonergic neurons through the medial prefrontal cortex J Neurosci. 27(43):11700-11; Oct 2007
Gobbi G, Bambico FR, Mangieri R, Bortolato M, Campolongo P, Solinas M, Cassano T, Morgese MG, Debonnel G, Duranti A, Tontini A, Tarzia G, Mor M, Trezza V, Goldberg SR, Cuomo V, Piomelli D. Antidepressant-like activity and modulation of brain monoaminergic transmission by blockade of anandamide hydrolysis. Proceeding of National Academy of Sciences of the USA. 102(51) : 18620-5; Dec 20 2005
Gobbi G, Blier P. Effects of Neurokinin-1 receptor antagonists on serotoninergic, noradrenergic and hippocampal neurons: comparison with antidepressant drugs. Peptides 2005 (in press)
Santarelli L, Gobbi G, Debs PC, Sibille E, Blier P, Hen R, Heath M. Genetic and pharmacological disruption of NK1 receptor function decreases anxiety-related behaviors and increases serotonergic function. Proceeding of National Academy of Sciences of the USA. 98:1912-1917; 2001
Gobbi G, Lesch KP, Murphy DL, Blier P. Modifications of the serotoninergic system in mice lacking serotonin transporters. An in vivo electrophysiological study. The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. 296: 987-995; 2001

News Releases

Tireless research reveals secrets of the “sleep hormone”

Discovery leads to novel melatonin drug with potential to treat insomnia

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Cannabis and adolescence: A dangerous cocktail

Canadian teenagers are among the largest consumers of cannabis worldwide.

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