Neuroendocrine Responses To Psychological Stress: Unmasking The Protective Role Of The Prefrontal Cortex.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$346,153.00
Summary
This project seeks to build up a picture of one of the mechanisms that the brain uses to protect our bodies from the potentially harmful effects of psychological stress. When we are subjected to psychological stress one of the consequences is the release of a hormone, corticosterone, into the blood-stream. This can be beneficial in the short-term as it helps our body redistribute its pattern of energy utilization in a way that helps in coping with an unexpected challenge. However, excessive secr ....This project seeks to build up a picture of one of the mechanisms that the brain uses to protect our bodies from the potentially harmful effects of psychological stress. When we are subjected to psychological stress one of the consequences is the release of a hormone, corticosterone, into the blood-stream. This can be beneficial in the short-term as it helps our body redistribute its pattern of energy utilization in a way that helps in coping with an unexpected challenge. However, excessive secretion of corticosterone due to excessive exposure to psychological stress can damage your health. For example, it can make you more susceptible to infection and also accelerate the rate at which your brain ages. The brain possesses certain mechanisms which try to limit the release of corticosterone when you are subjected to psychological stress. Unfortunately these mechanisms are not quite up to doing the necessary job under the conditions in which we live today, i.e. a very high level of psychological stress is a common feature of modern life. Nevertheless we believe that if we can properly understand these protective mechanisms in the brain, it may be possible to develop drugs which can boost their efficiency. In the long term this could greatly reduce ill-health in our society.Read moreRead less
Molecular Cloning And Expression Of Cytokine Genes Related To Induction Of Allograft Transplantation Tolerance In Rats
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$212,371.00
Summary
Cytokines are soluble proteins produced by leucocytes, and in many cases other cell types, which act as chemical communicators between cells, but not as effector molecules in their own right. Most of the cytokines are growth or differentiation factors and they generally act on cells within the haematopoietic system. In this grant application we will focus on the production of cytokines and antibodies to these cytokines, that are likely to be important in organ transplantation tolerance or organ ....Cytokines are soluble proteins produced by leucocytes, and in many cases other cell types, which act as chemical communicators between cells, but not as effector molecules in their own right. Most of the cytokines are growth or differentiation factors and they generally act on cells within the haematopoietic system. In this grant application we will focus on the production of cytokines and antibodies to these cytokines, that are likely to be important in organ transplantation tolerance or organ rejection. We would like to synthesize these cytokines using molecular biological techniques. These biological materials will be used to treat animals and study their biological effect on transplanted graft survival. If the cytokine treatment does prolong graft survival, what is the mechanisms involved in the immune responses will be further studied. Our aim is to develop strategies that couold be applied to help pateints with organ transplants and receive most specific therapies.Read moreRead less