Endocanna Health, Inc. Announces Strategic Partnership with Wayne State University's Dr. Hilary Marusak for Groundbreaking Adolescent Anxiety Research Study

[BURBANK, CA December 7, 2023 - Endocanna Health, Inc., a leader in personalized DNA testing, is thrilled to announce a significant collaboration with Dr. Hilary Marusak, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Wayne State University's School of Medicine. Together, they embark on a pioneering research initiative funded by a 5-year, $3.6 million National Institute of Mental Health Biobehavioral Research Awards for Innovative New Scientists (NIMH BRAINS) grant.
This multi-year project represents the first in a series of studies designed to explore acute exercise as a potential adjunct treatment to cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for adolescents grappling with anxiety. Despite the effectiveness of CBT as a primary treatment, up to 50% of clinically anxious young individuals fail to achieve full remission post-treatment. Dr. Marusak and her dedicated team at the WSU THINK Lab (www.wsuthinklab.com) aim to address this treatment gap by investigating how acute exercise may facilitate fear extinction recall and increase activation of frontolimbic brain regions. These outcomes have demonstrated a correlation with enhanced gains in CBT between sessions.
Of particular significance, this study will delve into the relatively unexplored territory of the ECS system in adolescents compared to adults. Given the known variability in individual responses to exercise and CBT, the research seeks to bridge this knowledge gap and enhance treatment approaches.
EndoDNA, the proprietary technology developed by Endocanna Health, will play a crucial role in this groundbreaking study. The researchers will leverage EndoDNA's patented DNA testing capabilities to explore whether genetic variants in the ECS system can predict which adolescents will respond more robustly to the combination therapy of exercise and CBT.
"We are very excited to work with EndoDNA," remarked Dr. Marusak. "The ability to examine a large number of genetic variants linked to the ECS directly and indirectly will provide us with important new avenues to explore in the future. This comprehensive approach holds the potential to be translated into clinical applications to help support teenagers grappling with anxiety."
Endocanna Health, Inc. is committed to advancing scientific understanding and clinical applications in the field of mental health. The collaboration with Dr. Marusak marks a significant step forward in addressing the complex challenges of adolescent anxiety, offering hope and innovative solutions.
For media inquiries or further information, please contact: Len May Len@EndoDNA.com

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Len May
Len@EndoDNA.com

Endocanna Health, Inc. is a MedTech company specializing in DNA testing and translation services.

This release was published on openPR.