Molecular Research on Environmental Influence on Neuroplasticity and Neurogenesis

压力脆弱性在一定程度上是由环境的长期影响造成的。已知早期不良的环境会导致焦虑特征和后来的认知功能受损。然而，确切的机制尚不清楚。我们决定研究环境对大脑发育长期影响的潜在机制。我们已经进行了如下的研究。1)采用孪生法确定了基因和环境对人格发展的影响。我们发现30%到40%的性格是由基因决定的。与共享环境相比，非共享环境的贡献更大。2)已知血清素转运基因与焦虑特征相关。3)研究了一氧化氮、脑雌激素、催乳素释放肽、食欲素、淀粉样蛋白P组分等应激相关化学物质的神经化学功能。我们关注海马体在应激反应中的功能，并试图回答下面的一些问题。1)环境应激如何在分子水平上损害包括神经发生在内的海马功能？2)临床上已知引起抑郁症的干扰素是如何损害海马的？通过了解这些机制，我们能做些什么来修复这些病理方面呢？

Stress vulnerability is in part caused by long term influence from environment. Poor early environment is known to cause trait of anxiety and impaired cognitive function afterward. However, the precise mechanism is unknown. We decided to investigate the mechanism underlying long term influence by environment on brain development.We have carried our below stated research.1) By using twin methods, we determined contribution of genes and environments to development of personality. We found about 30-40% of our personality is determined by genes. Non-shared environment has strong contribution as compared to shared environment.2)Serotonin transporter gene is known to be associated with the trait of anxiety. We investigated association between the polymorphism of the gene and binding potential of transporter in vivo human brain that is measured by PET.3)We studied neurochemical functions of stress related chemicals such as nitric oxide, brain estrogen, prolactin releasing peptide, orexine, amyloid P component.We focused hippocampal functions in stress response and tried to answer to some questions below.1)How does environment stress impairs hippocampal functions including neurogenesis at molecular levels?2)How does Interferon that is know to cause depression clinically damage hippocampus?By understanding these mechanisms, what can we do to repair these aspects of pathology?