The responsibilities of the Administrative Core are to coordinate scientific collaboration within the program project, to ensure the proper transfer of tissue and evaluation of data between Projects and Cores, and to deseminate data to researchers interested in computational modeling of prefrontal cortical (PFC) circuits in the aging brain. The Administrative Core will faciltate scientific collaboration between Projects and Cores through regular lunchtime meetings. This PO1 brings together experts in cortical electrophysiology, intracellular signaling, neuroanatomy, higher cognitive function, and cortical modeling in order to tackle the problem of aging cortical circuits from a multi-disciplinary approach. We have aspired to pair junior investigators with more senior scientists to introduce new scientists to the field of aging research. The P01 is highly interactive, depending on shared resources and multi-level analysis of brain tissue. A major responsibility of the Core is integrating data between Projects and Cores. Within-subjects data from Projects 2-4 and the Histology and Animal Cores will be fed into the Administrative Core for multi-variate analysis by our statistician, Dr. DiPietro. We will determine how network strength, working memory, dendritic integrity and molecular signatures interact to alter cognitive abilities in the aging brain. The findings from this PO1 will be provided to Dr. Xiao-Jing Wang for computational modeling of aging effects on PFC networks. Dr. Wang is an expert on computational models of PFC working memory networks, examining how modulatory influences allow PFC networks to resist distraction. Thus, the data from this PO1, particularly the electrophysological findings from Projects 1 and 3, will be of immediate relevance to this endeavor. To our knowledge, this will be the first time that the effects of aging will be included in a computational model of the PFC. Finally, relevant data from this PO1 will be posted on the Senselab database for sharing with the neuroscience community. We are fortunate to have Dr. Gordon Shepherd, the founder of Senselab, as consultant to this Administrative Core. Senselab includes several databases which are linked to the Society for Neuroscience Database Gateway. Thus, the findings gained in this PO1 on the aging of PFC networks will be readily available to interested neuroscientists. LAY SUMMARY: The Administrative Core will coordinate Projects and Cores, integrate data for statistical analysis and share data with other scientists.
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