IBN-9511262 Van den Pol, Anthony The hypothalamus is a primary regulatory center in the brain, controlling everything from the endocrine milieu to body temperature, circadian rhythms, and food and water intake. Emerging results suggest that glutamate, a fast-acting excitatory chemical messenger, plays an important role in neuroendocrine regulation by acting within the hypothalamus. A member of the peptide class of messenger molecules called neuropeptide Y (NPY) acts more slowly than glutamate. NPY appears to be involved in numerous hypothalamic functions including food intake, reproduction, and circadian rhythms. A great deal is known about the effects of NPY, but little is known about the mechanisms used by NPY to generate these effects. Dr. Van den Pol proposes to use several different experimental systems to determine the mechanisms by which NPY modulates glutamate function in the hypothalamus. He will investigate the electrophysiological effects of glutamate and the modulatory actions of NPY on hypothalamic neurons. Dr. Van den Pol will use anatomical procedures to identify the projections of NPY and glutamate containing neurons within the hypothalamus revealing unique anatomical features of these cells. The modulation of a fast amino acid transmitter by a peptide, while examined in the hypothalamus, has broad ramifications throughout neuroscience. The proposed studies will increase our understanding of the basic cellular and molecular mechanisms of NPY action and ultimately, will aid our understanding and treatment of a wide range of neurological disorders.
