2025 UKARFF Early-career Researchers talks: Dr Lindsey Sinclair – Using gene expression to understand depression in people living with dementia
07/02/2025
Dr Lindsey Sinclair, funded by Alzheimer’s Society, she is investigating gene expression to understand depression in people living with dementia. Using samples from the Brain Bank, Lindsey compared gene expression in the superior frontal gyrus and anterior insula in people who lived with Alzheimer’s and those who had Alzheimer’s and new onset depression.
Dr Lindsey Sinclair, University of Bristol, funded by Alzheimer’s Society
1 in 7 people living with Alzheimer’s have new onset depression — a much higher rate than older adults without dementia. Consultant old age psychiatrist Dr Lindsey Sinclair knows how clinically challenging this is because antidepressant drugs are not effective when used by older adults living with Alzheimer’s.
Lindsey’s research set out to test whether changes in whether particular genes are turned into protein (gene expression) are causing people living with Alzheimer’s to become depressed. Using samples from the Brain Bank, Lindsey compared gene expression in the superior frontal gyrus and anterior insula in people who lived with Alzheimer’s and those who had Alzheimer’s and new onset depression.
Looking at each gene one by one Lindsey didn’t find any genes of interest. However, a gene set enrichment analysis did show some suggestions of which pathways could be involved. While new treatments are still far off, Lindsey’s research is helping us to understand underlying biology and clues to the pathways that might be involved
Meet the speakers
Dr Lindsey Sinclair
Lindsey is a clinical academic in old age psychiatry at the University of Bristol and a consultant old age psychiatrist for Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership. Sadly Lindsey has had multiple family members affected by dementia and this has contributed to her determination to help improve care for people living with dementia. Her Alzheimer's Society funded junior research fellowship focused on the complex relationship between depression and dementia.