Welcome to the Lutter Lab!

^{Michael Lutter, M.D., Ph.D. (pictured on the right)
with endocrinology collaborator, Jeffrey Zigman, M.D., Ph.D.}

The focus of my research is on the bi-directional relationship between psychiatric disorders and metabolic diseases. 

In recent years it has become increasingly recognized that patients with psychiatric disorders such as Major Depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, and Schizophrenia are at increased risk of developing obesity-related metabolic diseases such as diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and coronary artery disease compared to the general population. Conversely, people with pre-existing metabolic disturbances such as obesity and insulin resistance are more vulnerable to the effects of stress.

Using a variety of basic rodent research and translational neuroscience approaches, my goal is to delineate the pathways that underlie this association. While still early in my career, we have been fortunate enough to make great advances toward this goal. Using Chronic Social Defeat Stress, a mouse model of Major Depression, we have identified several metabolic pathways disturbed by stress. These include leptin, ghrelin, and orexin signaling pathways. 

In addition, I have recently entered into collaboration with members of the UT Southwestern community interested in examining the psychiatric consequences of bariatric surgery. As part of this study, patients will receive comprehensive metabolic and psychological assessments before and after bariatric surgery coupled with neuroimaging techniques.  The purpose is to determine the underlying neural substrates that mediate the observed weight loss as well as identify potential causes of identified psychiatric side effects. My role in the collaboration will be to perform psychiatric evaluations of study participants enrolled in the study.