SYNAPTIC ORGANIZATION OF THE BASOLATERAL AMYGDALA

描述(改编自申请人的摘要)： 这项拟议的研究是对 杏仁基底外侧核的突触组织，它将集中在基底 杏仁核(BAN)。杏仁核是主要的前脑区域之一。 与情感有关的。杏仁体基底外侧干的临床意义 因为它参与了颞叶癫痫，阿尔茨海默氏症，以及 精神障碍(包括焦虑、抑郁和精神分裂症)。它是 也是苯二氮卓类药物和其他精神疾病的主要靶点之一 药物。尽管这个大脑区域很重要，但人们对此知之甚少。 关于其构成精神障碍的突触组织 牵涉到杏仁核。拟议的研究将集中在抑制作用上 禁令的中间神经元。这些研究将使用免疫细胞化学 方法在光学和电子显微镜水平上对主要成分进行鉴定 抑制性中间神经元亚群及其联系的分析：1) 2)与5-羟色胺能、多巴胺能、 和去甲肾上腺素能传入禁令，以及3)相互联系。突触 电生理学特征的主神经元和 还将检查中间神经元；这是第一次 电生理和超微结构技术将结合在一起 阐明杏仁基底外侧核的突触组织。此外, 将确定禁令中是否有特定的神经元间亚群 表现出特定的GABA能、谷氨酸能和单胺能亚型 受体，以及是否存在广泛的非突触相互作用 带有BAN神经元的单胺能递质。

DESCRIPTION (Adapted From The Applicant's Abstract): The proposed study is the beginning of a long-term investigation of the synaptic organization of the basolateral amygdala that will focus on the basal amygdalar nucleus (BAN). The amygdala is one of the chief forebrain regions concerned with emotion. Clinical interest in the basolateral amygdala stems from its involvement in temporal lobe epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, and psychiatric disorders (including anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia). It is also one of the main regions targeted by benzodiazepines and other psychiatric medications. Despite the importance of this brain region, very little is known about the synaptic organization of its constituent psychiatric disorders involving the amygdala. The proposed studies will focus on the inhibitory interneurons of the BAN. These investigations will use immunocytochemical methods at the light and electron microscopic levels to identify the main subpopulations of inhibitory interneurons and to analyze their connections: 1) with the principal neurons of the BAN, 2) with the serotonergic, dopaminergic, and noradrenergic afferents to the BAN, and 3) with each other. The synaptic connections of electrophysiological characterized principal neurons and interneurons will also be examined; this represents the first time that electrophysiological and ultrastructural techniques will be combined to elucidate the synaptic organization of the basolateral amygdala. In addition, it will be determined if particular interneuronal subpopulations in the BAN exhibit specific subtypes of GABAergic, glutamatergic, and monoaminergic receptors, and whether there are extensive non-synaptic interactions of monoaminergic transmitters with BAN neurons.III.