Disease-predisposing or resilience-promoting? Decoding the systems biology and behavioural predictors and determinants of the tipping point of stress (PROGRESS)

Stressful life experiences are major risk factors for the development of mental disorders. Global challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, war, displacement of nations and natural disasters are actively causing the incidence of affective disorders to increase. Thus, improved strategies for early detection, precise monitoring, prevention and treatment of stress-related mental disorders is urgently needed. This project studies the mechanisms of stress resilience and susceptibility. By employing social stress as a tool, the study focuses specifically on the so-called tipping point at which the molecular and behavioral profiles of stress exposure clearly turn into negative consequences. We aim to establish the temporal dynamics of events associated with the tipping point, identify and validate predictive molecular signatures for stress resilience and susceptibility and test whether the tipping point can be shifted via an active promotion of resilience. The findings of the project are important for giving precise insight into the events and biosignatures related to stress establishment on a longitudinal time scale and hold translational potential in monitoring at-risk individuals to provide them with appropriate interventions.