Neurogenesis In The Amygdala And Hippocampus: A Role In Learnt Fear?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$780,396.00
Summary
It has long been thought that neurons are only born once and then slowly die. Learning and memory formation is thought to occur by changes in the strength of connections between living neurons. However, the hippocampus is now known to produce new neurons throughout life. We have found that neurons are also born in the adult amygdala. In this project we will study how neurogenesis affects learning and memory formation that involve the hippocampus and amygdala.
How Does Iron Accumulation Affect Parkinson’s Disease And What Controls It?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$545,517.00
Summary
Currently there is no cure for Parkinson's disease, and although we have a number of treatments to manage the disease there is an urgent need for a further understanding of the disease process. This proposal will investigate the critical role that iron plays in the cause of neuronal cell death that results in Parkinson's disease, and will investigate methods for regulating metal levels in the brain.
Creating Stem Cell Niches To Repair The Nigrostriatal System
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$837,033.00
Summary
It has been difficult to treat Parkinson's with stem cells because transplants make to few new cells and form tumors. In other organs, specialized locations called niches regulate the division and maturation of stem cells. By making a niche in the brains of animals with experimental parkinsonism we induced the brain to make new nerve cells and repair the parkinsonism. This is important because it shows how to use cell based therapies to treat neurodegenerative disorders. .
Neuronal Membranes And Connections In Dementia: Targets For Intervention
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$720,144.00
Summary
This research aims to understand why some people with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) progress to dementia, whilst others do not. The fact that some people’s cognitive abilities can improve provides an opportunity to study the mechanisms that protect their brain cells from the degeneration associated with dementia. Understanding the cellular changes will lead to therapies that can be tested in the lab for individuals.
Functional Maturation Of Adult Neural Progenitor Cells
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$701,390.00
Summary
This proposal seeks to understand how the production of functional nerve cells in the brain is regulated. Specifically we will focus on the way in which adult neuronal precursor cells (neuroblasts) in the brain acquire their functional characteristics as they mature into active entities capable of forming neural networks. We will examine the expression and activation of specific membrane proteins (ion channels) on the differentiation and migration of neuronal precursor cells.
A New Function For An Old Enzyme: Src Protein Kinase Directs Excitotoxic Neuronal Death In Stroke
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$513,975.00
Summary
In our previous investigation of how brain cells die in patients suffering from stroke, we found that stroke causes aberrant activation of an enzyme called Src in the affected brain cells. Furthermore, this aberrantly activated Src directs the brain cells to undergo cell death. Our proposal, which aims to decipher this neurotoxic mechanism of the aberrantly activated Src will benefit development of new therapeutic strategies to reduce brain damage in stroke patients.
Glutathione is a natural antioxidant, which is known to protect cells in the body from chemical damage. A small part of the glutathione in cells is found in the mitochondria, a structure that is involved in producing the chemical energy needed for normal cell function. The mitochondria are also involved under some circumstances in promoting the death of cells. Although glutathione in general has been well studied, much less attention has been paid to the function of glutathione in mitochondria, ....Glutathione is a natural antioxidant, which is known to protect cells in the body from chemical damage. A small part of the glutathione in cells is found in the mitochondria, a structure that is involved in producing the chemical energy needed for normal cell function. The mitochondria are also involved under some circumstances in promoting the death of cells. Although glutathione in general has been well studied, much less attention has been paid to the function of glutathione in mitochondria, particularly in cells from the brain. Our recent studies indicate that this mitochondrial pool of glutathione is particularly important in limiting the death of cells from the brain when exposed to damaging substances that are increased in some diseases. Thus, the capacity of mitochondrial glutathione to deal with such substances might be a factor in determining the extent of cell loss in the brain, which is an important determinant of symptoms in some of the major neurological diseases. Consistent with this possibility, we have obtained evidence indicating that decreases in glutathione in the mitochondria contribute to the cell death and brain damage that results from a stroke. In our proposed studies, we will investigate the function of mitochondrial glutathione in the two major cell populations from the brain, neurons and astrocytes. We will characterise the protective role of the glutathione and investigate how it enters the mitochondria and what factors influence the amount that is present. This will provide new insights into the function of glutathione in the mitochondria and could also suggest novel approaches for manipulating this antioxidant pool. We will also study models of stroke and some related brain disorders to more directly test the role of this antioxidant in disease and to assess whether manipulating the content of glutathione in the mitochondria has the potential to reduce damage and improve function in these disordersRead moreRead less
Cellular And Molecular Mechanisms Of Development And Regeneration In The Olfactory System
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$345,773.00
Summary
During development of the fetal brain, cells are wired together. The correct wiring patterns are essential for normal function of the brain. Growth and formation of new connections decreases after birth. For this reason, the repair of the damaged adult nervous system is limited. However, there is one region in the nervous system that exhibits continual growth and repair throughout life. This is the nerve that is responsible for smell and connects the nose to the brain. The aim of this study is t ....During development of the fetal brain, cells are wired together. The correct wiring patterns are essential for normal function of the brain. Growth and formation of new connections decreases after birth. For this reason, the repair of the damaged adult nervous system is limited. However, there is one region in the nervous system that exhibits continual growth and repair throughout life. This is the nerve that is responsible for smell and connects the nose to the brain. The aim of this study is to identify the processes that permit continual growth within this region of the nervous system.Read moreRead less