The long-range vision for neuroscience research at Meharry Medical College (MMC) is to achieve excellence in brain and behavioral research from bench to bedside, synergistically engaging institutional resources and extramural funding for research and training to achieve this important goal. This Specialized Neuroscience Research Program (SNRP) competing continuation application is essential to provide resources to continue to enhance the research and training environment at MMC, in partnership with Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC). To that end, this proposal describes three research programs related to the overall theme of brain plasticity, broadly defined, that address important biological problems in the context of nurturing collaborations that will facilitate the development of research and research communication skills, ultimately leading to individual peer-reviewed funding for these three junior MMC faculty. The proposed research of Dr T. Ansah addresses the possible role of the 5HT-2A/C receptor in effecting cortical control of movement in Parkinson's disease, when the reciprocal dopaminergic regulatory inputs have been ablated by this degenerative disease (VUMC collaborator: Dr. Ariel Deutch). The studies of Dr W. Fan explore whether desensitization of chemokine regulation of neurons (or supporting tissues) in the CMS contributes to the development of Alzheimer's disease pathology, and - if so- whether interference with enhanced chemokine receptor expression and/or activation will.permit a novel axis for therapeutic intervention (VUMC collaborator: Ann Richmond). Dr. Mitchell Parks will examine the plasticity of brain development by examining the impact of childhood sexual abuse on the choice-behavior wiring (dubbed executive function) in adult survivors of this abuse, examining both African American and Caucasian females, and correlating clinical and behavioral analyses with objective imaging parameters obtained using fMRI (MMC psychologist &Collaborator: Fred Ernst;VUMC imaging scientist &Collaborator: Malcolm Avison). Frequent meetings between the collaborators and among the SNRP investigative teams overall will be complemented with journal clubs, seminar series, works in progress sessions, and input from external advisors to provide significant constructive input concerning hypothesis testing, experimental design, testing of alternative interpretations of data, and communicating these findings in oral and written form to achieve the individual success of these investigators and to strengthen the portfolio of bench to bedside neuroscience research at MMC and with its Alliance partner, VUMC
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