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Modulating Retinal Glutamate Transport In Health And Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$256,527.00
Summary
Damage can occur to nervous tissues like the retina and brain when there is a reduction in the blood supply. This can occur as a result of a blood clot, stroke or the eye disease, glaucoma. These conditions often result in blindness. Much of the neuronal damage is due to the release of an excess of glutamate. Glutamate is a chemical (neurotransmitter) that nerves use to communicate with each other, but it is toxic to nerves when present at high concentrations. This project will investigate the m ....Damage can occur to nervous tissues like the retina and brain when there is a reduction in the blood supply. This can occur as a result of a blood clot, stroke or the eye disease, glaucoma. These conditions often result in blindness. Much of the neuronal damage is due to the release of an excess of glutamate. Glutamate is a chemical (neurotransmitter) that nerves use to communicate with each other, but it is toxic to nerves when present at high concentrations. This project will investigate the mechanisms that regulate the concentration of glutamate in the retina. If these mechanisms could be made to work more efficiently, they may prevent the build-up of the glutamate and therefore prevent damage to the nerve cells. Understanding these mechanisms will aid in the development of an effective treatment to prevent blindness when there is a blockage of the blood supply to the retina.Read moreRead less
Neurotransmitter transporters are very good drug targets because modulation of their activity can lead to up and down regulation of neurotransmitter concentrations and thereby influence signalling pathways in the brain. This can be very useful in treating various neurological disorders and also altering normal brain functions such as learning and memory. In this project we will develop a detailed understanding of how glutamate transporters work and in so doing will be in a better position to des ....Neurotransmitter transporters are very good drug targets because modulation of their activity can lead to up and down regulation of neurotransmitter concentrations and thereby influence signalling pathways in the brain. This can be very useful in treating various neurological disorders and also altering normal brain functions such as learning and memory. In this project we will develop a detailed understanding of how glutamate transporters work and in so doing will be in a better position to design subtype and transporter-specific compounds. These compounds will be very useful in defining the role of glutamate transporter subtypes in normal and pathological states and may be useful in treating neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, ishaemia following a stroke, and motor neurone disease.Read moreRead less
Glycine Transporters regulate the concentration of glycine in the spinal cord and brain. It has been suggested that elevating glycine levels in these regions may be useful in treating pain and schizophrenia. This project will provide the basis for the development of new glycine transport inhibitors that may be used to treat these conditions.