Prof. Raül Andero

Raül Andero obtained his Ph.D. in Neuroscience (Extraordinary Doctoral Prize) from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) in 2010 studying behavioural animal models of stress and memory. Then he started as Postdoctoral Fellow and later promoted to Research Associate at the laboratory of Dr Ressler - Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Emory University, USA -. Professor Andero joined McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School as Faculty - Instructor in Psychiatry - in 2015. He combined studies with psychiatric patients and animal models of fear memory. He established his laboratory in 2016 at the UAB-Institute of Neuroscience as Ramón y Cajal Fellow. Since 2021 as ICREA Research Professor he continues the work of his laboratory aiming to translate behavioural and molecular basic findings into the clinic. He has published in journals such as Neuron, Science Translational Medicine and Nature Communicaitons.

In this lecture, Professor Andero will provide a historical perspective on the dysregulation of fear memory in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), along with updates on recent breakthroughs in the field. A significant focus will be on exploring molecular mechanisms such as the Tac2 pathway, which holds promise as a potential target for PTSD treatment. Notably, Tac2 antagonists have demonstrated safety and tolerability in human trials, presenting a hopeful avenue for intervention, particularly when administered shortly after exposure to traumatic stress or following successful psychotherapy sessions.

• Velasco ER, et al (2022). "PACAP-PAC1R modulates fear extinction via the ventromedial hypothalamus". Nature Communications. 2022 Jul 28;13(1):4374. doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-31442-w.
• Florido A, et al (2021). "Sex differences in fear memory consolidation via Tac2 signaling in mice". Nature Communications. 2021 May 3;12(1):2496. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-22911-9.
• Andero R, Dias BG, Ressler KJ (2014). "A role for Tac2, NkB, and Nk3 receptor in normal and dysregulated fear memory consolidation". Neuron. 2014 Jul 16;83(2):444-454. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2014.05.028.
• Andero R, et al (2013). "Amygdala-dependent fear is regulated by Oprl1 in mice and humans with PTSD". Science Translational Medicine. 2013 Jun 5;5(188):188ra73. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.3005656.