IMAGING THE EFFECTS OF EXOGENOUS CORTISOL IN THE HUMAN BRAIN

本子项目是利用由NIH/NCRR资助的中心赠款提供的资源的众多研究子项目之一。子项目和研究者（PI）可能已经从另一个NIH来源获得了主要资金，因此可以在其他CRISP条目中表示。列出的机构是中心的，不一定是研究者的机构。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对健康志愿者的生理和功能影响。我们的目标是：(a)确定急性皮质醇管理是否会改变大脑中的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过程，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大脑区域的激活模式。为了实现这些目标，我们将进行两项实验：第一项实验旨在通过使用研究成像中心（RIC）开发的一种方法来记录与皮质醇作用相关的解剖学，该方法用于评估未知时空特征的生理过程的位置和时间过程；第二，应用标准的功能磁共振成像方法和神经行为挑战，在部分受试者内部，安慰剂对照，双盲比较皮质醇对初始实验中确定的大脑区域的影响。这些数据应该为研究与皮质醇相关的大脑区域提供有价值的见解，皮质醇是应激反应中的一种重要激素，并有助于确定皮质醇水平升高如何改变大脑活动并随后破坏认知/行为功能。受试者将接受一次3小时的MRI检查，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).