9802428 McEwen This Americas Program award will fund a two-year cooperative research project between Dr. Bruce McEwen, Rockefeller University, and Dr. Alejandro F. de Nicola, Instituto de Biologia y Medicina Experimental, Buenos Aires, Argentina, on regulation and control of salt appetite. Salt appetite is associated with an important homeostatic, motivated behavior, and serves as a model for studying appetites and appetitive behaviors. These studies will provide insights into the neural basis of motivational states and behavior. Using state of the art techniques linking molecular biology and classical physiological approaches, the colaborators will focus on the amygdala as an important target area for mineralocorticoid induction of salt appetite. In situ hybridization histochemistry will be utilized to further investigate the role of adrenal steroid receptors. The project will address important, unanswered questions on the fundamental function of the brain in the regulation of fluid metabolism. This collaboration will combine the expertise of the US side in neurosciences and molecular biology, with the expertise of the Argentinean side in in physiology, pharmacology and neuroendocrinology. ***
