IMAGING THE EFFECTS OF EXOGENOUS CORTISOL IN THE HUMAN BRAIN

这个子项目是利用由NIH/NCRR资助的中心拨款提供的资源的许多研究子项目之一。子项目和调查员(PI)可能从另一个NIH来源获得了主要资金，因此可能会出现在其他CRISE条目中。列出的机构是针对中心的，而不一定是针对调查员的机构。我们建议使用功能磁共振成像(FMRI)来确定外源性应用应激糖皮质激素皮质醇在健康志愿者中的生理和功能后果。我们的目标是(A)确定急性皮质醇给药是否改变了大脑中的fMRI信号，(B)描绘与皮质醇功能相关的区域网络，(C)确定潜在信号变化的时间进程，以及(D)在存在或不存在外源性皮质醇的情况下，对比与皮质醇功能相关的脑区域的激活模式。为了实现这些目标，我们将进行两个实验：第一个实验旨在通过使用研究成像中心(RIC)开发的一种方法来评估未知时间和空间特征的生理过程的位置和时间过程，从而记录与皮质醇作用相关的解剖学；第二个实验是应用标准的fMRI方法和神经行为挑战，在部分受试者内、安慰剂控制的双盲比较中，皮质醇对初始实验中确定的大脑区域的影响。这些数据应该会为与皮质醇相关的大脑区域提供有价值的见解，皮质醇是压力反应中的一种重要荷尔蒙，并有助于确定皮质醇水平增加如何改变大脑活动，从而扰乱认知/行为功能。受试者将接受一次3小时的MRI治疗，包括AMRI和fMRI，并注射皮质醇或生理盐水(安慰剂)。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. We propose to use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to determine the physiologic and functional consequences of exogenous application of the stress glucocorticoid hormone, cortisol in healthy volunteers. Our goals are to (a) establish whether acute cortisol administration alters fMRI signal in the brain, (b) delineate the network of regions associated with cortisol function, (c) determine the time-course of potential signal changes, and (d) contrast activation patterns in brain regions associated with cortisol function in the presence or absence of exogenous cortisol. To achieve these goals, we will conduct two experiments: the first, designed to document the anatomy linked to cortisol action by using a method developed in the Research Imaging Center (RIC) for assessing the location and time-course of physiologic processes of unknown temporal and spatial characteristics; the second, applying standard fMRI methods and neurobehavioral challenges in a partially within-subject, placebo-controlled, double-blind comparison of the effects of cortisol on brain regions identified in the initial experiment. These data should provide valuable insights into the brain regions associated with cortisol, an important hormone in stress responses, and help determine how increased cortisol levels alter brain activity and subsequently disrupt cognitive/behavioral functioning. Subjects will have one 3-hr MRI session including aMRI and fMRI and the injection of cortisol or saline (placebo).