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Preeclampsia is a pregnancy complication leading to premature birth and organ failure with a high mortality worldwide. The exact underlying mechanisms leading to this disease are unknown. The responsible organ seems to be the placenta.
Autophagy is a cell digestion mechanism mediating cell resistance to stress. Impaired autophagy might lead to disturbed cell function and disrupted placenta development leading to preeclampsia. The aim of this study is to decipher the role of autophagy in the development of preeclampsia.

Impulsivity, self-control and activations of the brain related to these characteristics (assessed using MRI) are well-studied “risk factors” for substance use disorders. This project examines whether these factors specifically predict substance use-related problems and are thus the development of substance use disorders and not merely the degree of substance use. So far, it has never been examined whether the association of these risk factors with substance use disorders can be explained by differences in the degree of substance use.