Monoaminergic Neurons And Limbic Circuits

单胺能神经元和边缘回路

• 批准号: 7032917
• 负责人: Vito John Massari
• 金额: $ 50.83万
• 依托单位: HOWARD UNIVERSITY
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2004
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2004-08-01 至 2008-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/7032917
• 关键词: minority institution research support; neurobiology; neuropsychology; neuroregulation; minority institution research support; neurobiology; neuropsychology; neuroregulation

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): A significant body of behaviorally oriented mental health research is being pursued at Howard University, however relatively few faculty are studying the neurobiological bases of disorders of mental health. This is an important emerging area of investigation. Since minority research scientists are under-represented in all aspects of mental health research, one of the major goals of this proposal is to nurture the development of a critical mass of skilled and productive faculty and graduate students with research interests in the neurobiology of mental health in the College of Medicine. This effort will help establish a more comprehensive community of scholars at Howard University with interrelated interests in mental health. The investigators propose to establish a bi-weekly Research Seminar Series entitled "Neurobiology and Mental Health" in order to bring mental health issues to the forefront of Howard's academic community. The investigators have proposed three Individual Investigator Research Projects to study the neurochemical anatomy and synaptic interactions of monoaminergic neurons with limbic brain circuits at the electron microscopic level. These ultrastructural studies will complement areas of existing expertise in neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, neuropharmacology, molecular biology, and behavior which will also be utilized within the laboratories of the Principal Investigators. The investigators propose to strengthen the institutional infrastructure by purchasing a complete high resolution digital camera system from Gatan, Inc. to be installed within the core electron microscope, with external computerized image archiving and both on-line and off-line computerized digital image analysis software and a high resolution printer. This improved system will modernize and expand existing infrastructure capacities, and bring the core electron microscopy laboratory instrumentation into competition with other Universities in the forefront of the field. The investigators propose to receive specialized training in digital microscopy, computerized image analyses, and stereology. By providing the support needed to establish outstanding research programs, funding of this MRISP application will enhance the recruitment, hiring and retention of faculty with interests in the neurobiology of mental health disorders. Furthermore, this support will also facilitate the training of a significant number of minority graduate students in the field.

描述（由申请人提供）：霍华德大学正在进行大量面向行为的心理健康研究，但是相对较少的教师正在研究心理健康疾病的神经生物学基础。这是一个重要的调查领域。由于少数群体研究科学家在心理健康研究的各个方面的代表性不足，因此该提案的主要目标之一是培育具有医学院心理健康神经生物学研究兴趣的熟练和富有成效的教职员工和研究生。这项工作将有助于在霍华德大学建立一个更全面的学者社区，并具有相互关联的心理健康兴趣。研究人员建议建立一个每两周的研究研讨会系列，题为“神经生物学和心理健康”，以使心理健康问题成为霍华德学术界的最前沿。研究人员提出了三个个别研究者研究项目，以研究单胺能神经元与电子显微镜水平的边缘脑回路的神经化学解剖学和突触相互作用。这些超微结构研究将补充神经解剖学，神经生理学，神经药理学，分子生物学和行为的现有专业知识领域，这些领域也将在主要研究者的实验室中使用。调查人员建议通过从Gatan，Inc。购买完整的高分辨率数码相机系统来加强机构基础架构，并安装在核心电子显微镜中，并具有外部计算机图像归档以及在线和离线计算机化的数字图像分析软件和高分辨率打印机。这种改进的系统将现代化和扩大现有的基础设施能力，并将核心电子显微镜实验室仪器与该领域最前沿的其他大学竞争。研究人员建议接受数字显微镜，计算机图像分析和立体学方面的专门培训。通过提供建立杰出研究计划所需的支持，该MRISP申请的资金将增强对心理健康障碍神经生物学利益的招聘，雇用和保留。此外，这种支持还将促进培训该领域的大量少数研究生。