Anhedonia and the Insulin Pathway

Our research team is interested in using intranasal insulin to determine whether people with MDD or BD have a different response to brain insulin when compared to healthy individuals (i.e., individuals without psychiatric disorders), and how that would relate to mood, thinking, memory, and concentration. The research study that you have been asked to participate in will evaluate how your brain reacts to intranasal insulin with an exam called functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Through the results of this exam, the study will assess how the neurons in your brain, which are the cells that process and transmit information through electrical and chemical signals, are organized and connected. Our research team will check your memory, concentration, and ability to process emotional information by having you complete some tests. We will also analyze your body’s metabolism through measurements of body weight, blood markers, and energy expenditure and heart rate through data collected from an accelerometer.

You may be eligible if:

• Age 18-60yrs.

• Diagnosed with Major depressive Disorder or Bipolar Disorder (I/II)

We are also recruiting healthy controls

You may be eligible if:

• Age 18-60yrs.

• Body Mass Index ≥25 kg/m2

• No history of a psychiatric diagnosis

• Not currently using insulin or other hypoglycaemic medications