吃瓜网

When Dr. Christie started his laboratory at the University of British Columbia, his lab was able to show that new neurons became  in the existing cytoarchitechture. The Christie lab also showed that, which contributed to the enhanced synaptic plasticity observed with exercise. The lab then began to explore how developmental disorders and pathological conditions affect the structure and function of the hippocampal formation, and whether they could use exercise to help enhance cognition in disorders like . In 2007 the Christie lab moved to UBC's Island Medical Program at the 吃瓜网, and Dr. Christie became a faculty member at both universities, and helped found the Neuroscience Graduate Program at UVic and began a translational research program that included both preclinical and clinical research. Dr. Christie's preclinical research expanded to include several developmental disorders, including Fetal Alcohol Syndrome,  and , as well as . They hypothesize that these disorders affect a common set of structural and functional features in the hippocampus, and that their effects are functionally similar to those observed in Alzheimer’s disease and the senescent brain. They also have shown that both pharmacological and holistic therapies, like exercise and diet, can enhance brain plasticity. This has also been a central feature of the lab's clinical work, where they have shown the benefits of cognitive exercise for improving  and  in aged individuals.  The lab's most more recent work as looked at how a  or brain injury can impact , and whether cognitive exercise can help improve cognition and prevent the development of dementia. The lab hopes to expand this clinical work into developmental disorders in the coming years.

Dr. Christie’s laboratory has received funding primarily from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and thee National Institutes for Health (NIH), but we have also been recipients of research support from private foundations that include: Fragile-X Research Foundations in Canada and the US (FXRFC, FRAXA), The Scottish Rite Charitable Foundation, Alcoholic Beverage Medical Research Foundation, Lundbeck Pharmaceuticals, Roche Parmaceuticals, The Brown Family Foundation, the Victoria Foundation, and a number of private donors. Thanks to this funding many of our former lab trainees hold academic positions across Canada, and around the world. In addition, over 30 laboratory trainees are now practicing physicians in Canada, and we are proud to have averaged 2 trainees being accepted into medical schools each year for the past 15 years. This shows the high caliber of the trainees involved in our work.

Because of the quality of our trainees, and our technical capacity, we also have extensive research collaborations across Canada and around the world. Some of our international collaborations include:

Dr. Jennifer Thomas (San Diego State University) – Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

Dr. Catherine Winstanley (University of British Columbia) - Prenatal Cannabinoid Exposure and Adolescent Addictive Behaviours

Dr. Pedro Grandes (Spain) – Role of cannibinoids in traumatic brain injury and prenatal ethanol exposure

Dr. Sandy Shultz (Monash University, Australia; Vancouver Island University, Canada) – Biomarkers in Traumatic Brain Injury

Dr. Christiane Wrann (Harvard University) and Dr. Henriette van Praag (Florida Atlantic University) – Exercise, myokines and synaptic plasticity

Dr. Sonata Yau (Hong Kong Polytechnic); Dr. Kwok-Fai So (University of Hong Kong) Adipokines and synaptic plasticity.

Dr.’s Patricia Brocardo, Ana Lucia Rodrigues, Marcelo Farina (Florianopolis, Brazil) – Lipids, anxiety, depression and neuronal plasticity

Dr. Manuella Kastor (Federal University of Santa Catarina) - anxiety, depression and neuronal plasticity

Dr. Leigh Leasure (University of Houston) – exercise, stress and neurogenesis

Dr. Tatiana Rosenstock (Santa Casa de São Paulo School of Medical Sciences)

Dr. Katerina Akassoglou (University of San Francisco) – microglia

Dr. Clement Hamani (Sunnybrook Research Institute) - Concussion therapy

Dr. Ted Allison (University of Alberta) - Concussion therapy

Recent Publications

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2025

1. E Eyolfson, KRB Suesser, H Henry, I Bonilla-Del Río, P Grandes, R Mychasiuk, BR Christie. The effect of traumatic brain injury on learning and memory: A synaptic focus. Neuroscientist. 2025 Apr;31(2):195-214. Epub 2024 Sep 24. PMID: 39316552; PMCID: PMC11909778. 

2. M Sun, GF Symons, G Spitz, WT O'Brien, TL Baker, J Fan, BD Martins, J Allen, LP Giesler, R Mychasiuk, P van Donkelaar, J Brand, BR Christie, TJ O'Brien, MJ O'Sullivan, B Mitra, C Wellington, SJ McDonald, SR Shultz. Pathophysiology, blood biomarkers, and functional deficits after intimate partner violence-related brain injury: Insights from emergency department patients and a new rat model. (2025). Brain Behav Immun. 2025 Jan;123:383-396. Epub 2024 Sep 28. PMID: 39349286. 

3. E McDonagh, E Eyolfson, J Brand, SR Shultz, BR Christie. Acute diffuse axonal injury following repeated mild traumatic brain injury in juvenile rats. J Neurophysiol. 2025 Mar 1;133(3):881-891. Epub 2025 Feb 10. PMID: 39925115. 

4. JS Thacker, LT Ralph, L Koek, A Abbasian, L Bettio, AS Smith, J Georgiou, BR Christie, GL Collingridge. (2025), Synergistic actions of corticosterone and BDNF on rat hippocampal LTP. Mol Brain 18, 42.  

5. A Kit, K Conway, S Makarowski, G O’Regan, J Allen, SR Shultz, TS Bodnar, BR Christie. Can the gut-brain axis provide insight into psilocybin’s therapeutic value in reducing stress? (2025). Neurobiology of Stress, 36, 100732.  

2024

1. H Reid, O Trepanier, A Gross, P Poberezhnyk, T Snowden, K Conway, KR Breit, C Rodriguez, JD Thomas, BR Christie. Prenatal ethanol and cannabis exposure have sex- and region-specific effects on somatostatin and neuropeptide Y interneurons in the rat hippocampus. (2024). Alcohol, clinical & experimental research, 10.1111/acer.15350.  

2. E Eyolfson, C Acosta, J Brand, KRB Suesser, T Kannangara, C Bostrom, S Sawchuk, BR Christie. Optimizing GABA_A receptor antagonism for the induction of long-term potentiation in the mouse and rat dentate gyrus in vitro. J Neurophysiol. (2024). Jul 1;132(1):177-183. Epub 2024 Jun 5. PMID: 38836296.   

3. AK Titterness, EL Gräfe, C Acosta, C Rodriguez, JD Thomas, BR Christie. Developmental ethanol exposure produces deficits in long-term potentiation in vivo that persist following postnatal choline supplementation. (2024). Alcohol Clin Exp Res (Hoboken). 2024 Aug;48(8):1483-1491. Epub 2024 Jun 8. PMID: 38850072; PMCID: PMC11816008. 

4. JS Thacker, L Bettio, S Liang, I Shkolnikov, GL Collingridge, BR Christie. Adiponectin rescues synaptic plasticity in the dentate gyrus of a mouse model of Fragile X Syndrome. (2024). Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2024 Jul 29;379(1906):20230221. Epub 2024 Jun 10. PMID: 38853554; PMCID: PMC11343265. 

5. M Zaki-Dizaji, MF Abazari, H Razzaghi, I Shkolnikov, BR Christie. GRM7 deficiency, from excitotoxicity and neuroinflammation to neurodegeneration: Systematic review of GRM7 deficient patients. (2024). Brain Behav Immun Health. 2024 Jun 17;39:100808. PMID: 38983774; PMCID: PMC11231722. 

6. AB Sheriff, V Scarapicchia, EL Mazerolle, BR Christie, JR Gawryluk. A comparison of white matter microstructure and correlates with neuropsychological measures in younger and older adults. (2024). PLoS One. 2024 Jun 24;19(6):e0305818. PMID: 38913655; PMCID: PMC11195942. 

2023

1. KJ Neale, HMO Reid, B. Sousa, E McDonagh, J Morrison, S Shultz, E Eyolfson, BR Christie. Repeated mild traumatic brain injury causes sex-specific increases in cell proliferation and inflammation in juvenile rats. (2023). Repeated mild traumatic brain injury causes sex-specific increases in cell proliferation and inflammation in juvenile rats. Journal of Neuroinflammation 20, 250.

2. T Snowden, L Ohlhauser, J Morrison, J Faubert, J Gawryluk, BR Christie. A Protocol for Remote Cognitive Training Developed for Use in Clinical Populations During the COVID-19 Pandemic. (2023). Neurotrauma Rep. 2023 Aug 14;4(1):522-532.

3. T Snowden, J Morrison, M Boerstra, E Eyolfson, C Acosta, E Grafe, H Reid, J Brand, M Galati, J Gargaro, BR Christie. Brain changes: aerobic exercise for traumatic brain injury rehabilitation.(2023). Front. Hum. Neurosci. 17:1307507.
 

2022

1. S Hasanpour, L Karperien, T Walsh, M Jahanshahi, Z Hadisi, KJ Neale, BR Christie, N Djilali, M Akbari. (2022). A hybrid thread-based temperature and humidity sensor for continuous wound monitoring. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical. 370: 132414.

2. EL Grafe, MMM Wade, CE Hodson, JD Thomas, BR Christie. (2022). Postnatal Choline Supplementation Rescues Deficits in Synaptic Plasticity Following Prenatal Ethanol Exposure. Nutrients. 14(10): 2004.

 

2021

1. MR Islam, S Valaris, MF Young, EB Haley, R Luo, SF Bond, S Mazuera, RR Kitchen, BJ Caldarone, LEB Bettio, BR Christie, AB Schmider, RJ Soberman, A Besnard, MP Jedrychowski, H Kim, H Tu, E Kim, SH Choi, RE Tanzi, BM Spiegelman, CD Wrann. (2021). Exercise hormone irisin is a critical regulator of cognitive function. Nature Metabolism. 3(8): 1058-1070.

2. Jonathan S Thacker, Delaney Andersen, Stanley Liang, Natalia Zieniewicz, Juan S Trivino-Paredes, Patrick C Nahirney, Brian R Christie. (2021). Unlocking the brain: A new method for Western blot protein detection from fixed brain tissue. Journal of Neuroscience Methods. 348(1): 1-9.

3. Thomas H Lee, Ahadullah, Brian R Christie, Kangguang Lin, Parco Ming-fai Siu, Li Zhang, Ti-fei Yuan, Pragya Komal, Aimin Xu, Kwok-fai So, Suk-yu Yau. (2021). Chronic AdipoRon Treatment Mimics the Effects of Physical Exercise on Restoring Hippocampal Neuroplasticity in Diabetic Mice. Molecular Neurobiology. 1: 1-16.

4. EL Grafe, CJ Fontaine, JD Thomas, BR Christie. (2021). Effects of prenatal ethanol exposure on cholineinduced long-term depression in the hippocampus. Journal of Neurophysiology. 126(5): 1622-1634.

5. Snowden, T. Reid, H. Kenny, RA. McQuarrie, A. Stuart-Hill, L. Garcia-Barrera, M. Gawryluk, J. Christie, BR. (2021). Heading in the right direction: A critical review of 吃瓜网 examining the effects of heading in soccer players.Journal of Neurotrauma. ePub: 1-10.

6. HMO. Reid,TM. Snowden,I Shkolnikov, KR Breit, C Rodriguez, JD Thomas, BR Christie. (2021). Prenatal alcohol and cannabis exposure can have opposing and region-specific effects on parvalbumin interneuron numbers in the hippocampus. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. 45(11): 2246-2255.

7. T.H. Lee, B. R. Christie, H. van Praag, K. Lin, P. M-F. Siu, A. Xu, K-F So, S-y Yau. (2021). AdipoRon Treatment Induces a Dose-Dependent Response in Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 22(2068): 1-15.

8. Itziar Bonilla-Del Río, Nagore Puente, Amaia Mimenza, Almudena Ramos, Maitane Serrano, Leire Lekunberri, Inmaculada Gerrikagoitia, Brian R Christie, Patrick C Nahirney, Pedro Grandes. (2021). Acute Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol prompts rapid changes in cannabinoid CB1 receptor immunolabeling and subcellular structure in CA1 hippocampus of young adult male mice. Journal of Comparative Neurology. 1(1): 1-15.

9. H.M.O. Reid, N. Chen-Mack, T. Snowden, B.R. Christie. (2021). Understanding Changes in Hippocampal Interneurons Subtypes in the Pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s Disease: A Systematic Review. Brain Connectivity. ePub(1): 1-21.

Current Christie Laboratory Trainees Include:

Post Doctoral Fellows

• Grace Akingbade
• Josh Allen
• Eric Eyolfson
• Farshad Moradpour
• Isla Shill

Graduate Students

• Justin Brand (PhD)
• Olivia Braziller (MSc)
• Priscilla Gomes Welter (PhD) (UFSC)
• Jylan Hofmeyer (MSc)
• Alanna Kit (PhD)
• Ella Lane (MSc)
• Jamie Morrison (MSc)
• Rebecca Phillips (PhD) INTD
• Rebecca Przy (MSc)
• Kaylee Reid (MSc)
• Emma Skaug (MSc)
• Taylor Snowden-Richardson (PhD) 
• Isabella Tucci (MSc)

Undergraduate researchers

• Carmela Bolzonello
• Ian Encina Guerrero
• Alexia Greco
• Ben Jacoby
• Demitra Koutiugos
• Taylor MacDonald
• Brynne Mansell
• Carter Myrol
• Shannon Snead
• Katie Sternig
• Caroline St. Pierre
• Katie Thompson
• Zoe Thompson
• Mia Till
• Olivia Wong
• Emir Zejnulahovic

Lab volunteers

• Tania Ali-Poursaeed
• Aneissa Bains
• Damon Bains 
• Renee Campero
• Daniel Girard
• Jennifer Lemke
• Jennifer Murray
• Ella Ng
• Aasmita Sharma
• Ortansa Somosan
• Tam Tallulah
• Nihaarika Tirukovela

Research Assistants & Technicians

• Grace O'Regan
• Valentina Tomaselli

Mathematics of Information Technology and Complex Systems (MITACS) (2025/03-2027/04) Does Functional Hypothalamic Menstrual Dysregulation alter Cerebrovascular Endothelial
Function and Cognitive Performance in a Visual Spatial Learning Task? (Skaug)

Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR) (2024/10-2026/03) Evaluating Wolves’ Den: A traumatic brain injury-focused peer support and education group

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) (2024/11-2025/10) Brain Changes Initiative Brain Health Summit: A Patient-Partnered Event

Universite de Montreal (UdeM) (2024/03-2027/02) Developing an evidence-based approach to diagnose and treat adults with a history of concussion. (Brain Canada Foundation). Leading Institution: UdeM

Universite de Montreal (UdeM) (2024/03-2027/02) Developing an evidence-based approach to diagnose and treat adults with a history of concussion. (Neurotracker Athletics Inc.). Leading Institution: UdeM

National Institutes of Health (NIH) (2023/04-2025/03) Fetal Alcohol Effects and Choline Intervention. Leading Institution: San Diego State University Foundation

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) (2024/02-2025/01) The pathophysiology and blood biomarkers of brain injury in intimate partner violence: Insights from a new rat model

Mathematics of Information Technology and Complex Systems (MITACS) (2023/11-2025/05) From stress to success: Investigating the effects of a 3D-multiple object tracking intervention on markers of oxidative stress in brain injury survivors (Morrison)

Mathematics of Information Technology and Complex Systems (MITACS) (2023/07-2025/08) The Neural Mechanisms Underlying the Effect of a Standardized Equine Assisted Therapy Intervention on Stress Resilience and Executive Function in Autism (Phillips)

NHMRC Australia (2023/06–2025/05) Brain Injury in intimate partner violence: Insight into a silent pandemic. Leading Institution: Monash University

Mathematics of Information Technology and Complex Systems (MITACS) (2023/01-2024/12) Can low-dose psilocybin have therapeutic value in treating and preventing depression and anxiety (Kit) 

Michael Smith Health Research BC (HEALTHRESEARCHBC) (2022/09–2025/08) Fibrinogen promotes a microglial-mediated inflammatory response following adolescent repetitive mild traumatic brain injury (Eyolfson)

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Project Grant (2022/07-2027/06) Drinking with Mary Jane: Understanding sex differences in the effects of prenatal marijuana and alcohol consumption for learning and memory processes.

FRAXA Research Foundation (2021/07- 2023/07) Contribution of Microglia to the Therapeutic Effects of Metformin and Adiponectin in Fragile X Syndrome.

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Project Grant 2021/4 - 2026/3
Bringing focus to the invisible injury: Defining a role for microbleeds and microglia in mild traumatic brain injury.

NSERC Discovery Grant 2019/7 - 2024/6
Exercise and hippocampal bidirectional synaptic plasticity

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) RO1 2018/4 - 2023/3
Fetal Alcohol Effects and Choline Intervention
Principal Investigator : Jennifer Thomas

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Bridge Grant 2021/4 - 2023/3
Drinking with Mary Jane: Understanding how consuming alcohol and marijuana during pregnancy impacts the developing brain.

FRAXA Research Foundation Grant 2021/7 - 2022/6
Contribution of Microglia to the Theraputic Effect of Metformin and Adiponectin in Fragile X Syndrome.

New Frontiers in Research Fund Exploration 2019/9 - 2021/9
Building the blood brain barrier on a chip to treat Alzheimer's disease.

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) SPOR Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research 2020/9 - 2022/8
SPOR Regional Centre Fellowship (Snowden-Richardson) - Train your Brain: Can Three Dimensional Multiple-Object Tracking Improve Cognition and Daily-Life Functions in Individuals with Moderate to Severe Brain Injury?

Azrieli Foundation Back on track from COVID-19 2020/7 - 2021/6
Back on Track from COVID19: Therapeutic potential for activation of endogenous AMPK activators in Fragile-X Syndrome.

FRAXA Operating grant / Fragile X Research Foundation of Canada 2019/5 - 2021/4
Adiponectin as a potential therapy in Fragile X Syndrome.

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Research Tools and Instruments 2020
Vapor Drug Delivery System, Grant, Equipment

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Catalyst 2019/5 - 2022/4
Double Jeopardy: Effects of Prenatal Cannabis and Ethanol Exposure on hippocampus structure and function.

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) (State of São Paulo Research Foundation) SPRINT 2018/7 - 2022/6
Age related mitochondrial metabolism and its relationship with neurogenesis in an animal model of schizophrenia.

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Discovery Grant 2018/4 - 2019/3
Bidirectional Structural and Functional Plasticity in the Aging Brain.