(ISSN 2573-4407)
OBM Neurobiology is an international peer-reviewed Open Access journal published quarterly online by LIDSEN Publishing Inc. By design, the scope of OBM Neurobiology is broad, so as to reflect the multidisciplinary nature of the field of Neurobiology that interfaces biology with the fundamental and clinical neurosciences. As such, OBM Neurobiology embraces rigorous multidisciplinary investigations into the form and function of neurons and glia that make up the nervous system, either individually or in ensemble, in health or disease. OBM Neurobiology welcomes original contributions that employ a combination of molecular, cellular, systems and behavioral approaches to report novel neuroanatomical, neuropharmacological, neurophysiological and neurobehavioral findings related to the following aspects of the nervous system: Signal Transduction and Neurotransmission; Neural Circuits and Systems Neurobiology; Nervous System Development and Aging; Neurobiology of Nervous System Diseases (e.g., Developmental Brain Disorders; Neurodegenerative Disorders).
OBM Neurobiology publishes a variety of article types (Original Research, Review, Communication, Opinion, Comment, Conference Report, Technical Note, Book Review, etc.). Although the OBM Neurobiology Editorial Board encourages authors to be succinct, there is no restriction on the length of the papers. Authors should present their results in as much detail as possible, as reviewers are encouraged to emphasize scientific rigor and reproducibility.
Publication Speed (median values for papers published in 2023): Submission to First Decision: 7.5 weeks; Submission to Acceptance: 15.9 weeks; Acceptance to Publication: 7 days (1-2 days of FREE language polishing included)
Special Issue
Neurobiology of Mood Disorders
Submission Deadline: June 15, 2025 (Open) Submit Now
Guest Editor
Vivek Kumar, Research Lab Specialist Lead
Michigan Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
Research Interests: Psychiatric disorders; genetic and developmental basis of inherent individual differences; emotional reactivity; substance abuse disorders; cellular and molecular neuroanatomy of rodent and postmortem human brain; fluorescence confocal and light-sheet microscopy; large image-data processing and analysis; tissue clearing techniques
About This Topic
Mood disorders, including major depression and bipolar disorder, are serious, often chronic conditions with high suicide risk, requiring early intervention and advanced research. Diagnosing these disorders in youth is particularly challenging due to symptom overlap with normal behavior or other psychiatric conditions. With the global prevalence of mood disorders rising and their associated morbidity and mortality, the need for improved treatment is more urgent than ever.
Central to mood disorders are abnormalities in serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine neurotransmission. Additionally, genetic variations in serotonin-related genes and HPA axis overactivity have been increasingly recognized as major contributors to depression. Recent advancements in neuroimaging and genome-wide association studies have enhanced our understanding of brain abnormalities and identified numerous genetic risk factors, especially those related to serotonin neurotransmission.
Emerging research underscores the role of immune system dysregulation, particularly glial-neuron interactions, and the microbiota-gut-brain axis. Beyond enhancing the efficacy of standard SSRIs and mood stabilizers, there is growing interest in new therapeutic agents targeting neuroinflammation, glutamate, circadian rhythms, and personalized treatment approaches based on genetic profiles. Moreover, technological interventions such as digital cognitive behavioral therapy via smartphone apps, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and machine learning are being developed to improve treatment accessibility and outcomes. Overall, the integration of neurobiological insights, personalized treatment approaches, and new technologies offers promising advancements in understanding and managing mood disorders.
This special issue aims to highlight studies focusing on neuro-immune dysfunction and the microbiota-gut-brain axis mechanisms associated with mood disorders across clinical, preclinical, and animal models. Additionally, we will cover advancements in the therapeutic mechanisms of novel antipsychotics and mood stabilizers, as well as digital interventions.
Keywords
Mood disorder; depression; bipolar disorder; early intervention; neurotransmission; serotonin; HPA axis; genetic risk factors; neuroinflammation; glial-neuron interactions; microbiota-gut-brain axis; translational research
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted through the LIDSEN Submission System. Detailed information on manuscript preparation and submission is available in the Instructions for Authors. All submitted articles will be thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process and will be processed following the Editorial Process and Quality Control policy. Upon acceptance, the article will be immediately published in a regular issue of the journal and will be listed together on the special issue website, with a label that the article belongs to the Special Issue. LIDSEN distributes articles under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) License in an open-access model. The authors own the copyright to the article, and the article can be free to access, distribute, and reuse provided that the original work is correctly cited.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). Research articles and review articles are highly invited. Authors are encouraged to send the tentative title and abstract of the planned paper to the Editorial Office (neurobiology@lidsen.com) for record. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Editorial Office.
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Vidhi is a Clinical yoga therapist; mentor for yoga therapy training in Krishnamacharya tradition. She holds a MSc in Public health from Kings College London.
Mirela Olympia Fagarasan Palmer
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Zhong-Ting (Justin) is a PhD student from Nanyang Technological University (Singapore). He holds BSc in Applied Chemistry and MSc in Environmental Engineering. He was a R&D researcher of NanoMaterials Technology Pte Ltd in Singapore (2006-2012). His current research interests are functional nanomaterials synthesis & design, and their application into environmental/chemical engineering. He has published near 60 SCI papers in Applied Catalysis B, Chemical Engineering Journal and so on with H-Index 23. He also serviced as reviewers over 40 Journals such as Appl. Catal. B, Water Research, Chem. Eng. J, ACS Applied Materials & Interface, etc. He was honored such as “The Bsic Research Achievment 1st Award of CIESC”, “The ZJUT Fund Breeding Distinguished Young Scholars” etc.
Rolf Teschke studied Medicine in Munich and Marburg, where he finished his MD thesis before starting a residency at the Department of Pathology, University of Marburg. Subsequently and with a fellowship of the Deutsche Forschungsgmeinschaft, he worked at the Bronx VA Hospital/Mount Sinai Hospital in New York during 1972–1975 together with Professor Charles S. Lieber and successfully isolated MEOS and expanded its characterization. Back in Germany, he was at the Heinrich-Heine University in Düsseldorf with a focus on alcoholic liver disease, biochemical drug studies, and clinical intoxications by halogenated aliphatic hydrocarbons, where he became a Professor of Medicine. In 1987, he was offered a chief position and appointed as Director of the Medical Department II, City Hospital Hanau, Teaching Hospital of the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University Frankfurt/Main. His clinical and research interests are on liver injury by drugs and herbs including causality assessment by RUCAM in close association with Dr. Gaby Danan in Paris. A perfect cooperation exists also with Professor Tran Dang Xuan of the University of Hiroshima, Japan. Finally, he is the author of more than 275 publications including books and book chapters, and he is editor in chief of scientific journals and member of editorial boards.