Kwaman Han
Korea University · Medicine
About the Lab
Professor Kwaman Han's research lab specializes in the neurobiological and genetic underpinnings of major depressive disorder, with a focus on the interplay between neuroinflammation, genetic variation, and structural brain changes. The lab investigates how peripheral and central immune activation—particularly through pathways like the NLRP3 inflammasome and kynurenine metabolism—affect brain structure and function in depression. Using multimodal neuroimaging (MRI), genetic analysis (e.g., FKBP5, TPH2, NLRP3 polymorphisms), and epigenetic profiling (DNA methylation), the lab explores neural circuit dysfunction and endophenotypes such as cortical gyrification and hippocampal subfield atrophy. Their work bridges molecular psychiatry with translational neuroscience to identify biomarkers and mechanisms underlying mood disorders.
Research Overview
Research Output Trend
Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.
Selected Papers
15This narrative review discusses how peripheral and central inflammation processes affect brain function and structure in depression, and reports on recent peripheral inflammatory marker-based functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies from the perspective of neural-circuit dysfunction in depression. Chronic stress stimulates the activity of microglial cells, which increases the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the brain. In addition, microglial activation promo
A single nucleotide polymorphism of rs1360780 in the FKBP5 gene is associated with a predisposition to developing major depressive disorder (MDD). We investigated the interactive effects of FKBP5 rs1360780 allelic variants, DNA methylation, and the diagnosis of MDD on structural changes of the entire brain. One hundred and fourteen patients with MDD and eighty-eight healthy controls underwent T1-weighted structural magnetic resonance imaging and FKBP5 rs1360780 genotyping, including DNA methylat
BACKGROUND: The hippocampus is not a uniform structure, but rather consists of multiple, functionally specialized subfields. Few studies have explored hippocampal subfield volume difference in the same sample of major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD) cases. We aimed to investigate the difference of hippocampal subfield volume between patents with MDD and BD and healthy controls (HCs). METHODS: A total of 102 MDD and 55 BD patients and 135 HCs were recruited and underwent T1-we
STUDY OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between weekend catch-up sleep (WCS) and the levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP)-a serum inflammatory maker-in adults. METHODS: Data of 5,506 adults aged 19 years or older were obtained from the nationwide cross-sectional Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys conducted in 2016. Serum hsCRP level, weekday and weekend sleep durations, and sociodemographic and health-related characteristics were assessed. Participa
Research Areas
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