Brain Mechanisms Underlying Plasticity in the Specialization of Cognitive Systems through the Adolescent Period

项目总结/摘要 这是一份行政补充申请，要求支持大幅提高我们的父母的能力， R 01项目旨在表征关键神经递质（NT）的青少年发育变化：γ- 氨基丁酸（GABA），谷氨酸（Glu）和多巴胺（DA）在关键期可塑性中的已知作用， 前额和相关区域。在我们关注青少年时期的努力中， 格兰特的年龄在12-30岁之间。评论家，虽然高度热情，集体指出，错过了 有机会通过纳入较年轻的受试者来描述青春期的进程。这一点特别重要 给出了将青春期与前额皮质关键期可塑性联系起来的动物模型。因此，我们请求 支持（目标1）增加24名10-11岁奥尔兹，并包括（目标2）青春期发育的生物测定 鉴于我们目前只有自我报告量表，限制了我们评估青春期对大脑影响的能力， 发展增加年轻的受试者和青春期的生物测定将大大提高我们的 首次在人体内表征相关神经递质变化的能力， 联合皮层的周期可塑性。总之，这些发现有可能揭示神经机制 在青少年发展时期的规范可塑性需要辨别的过程， 可导致主要精神病理学出现的发育受损的出现（例如， 精神分裂症、情绪障碍、成瘾）在这个发展时期。

Project Summary/Abstract This is an administrative supplement requesting support for significantly enhancing the ability for our parent R01 project to characterize adolescent developmental changes in key neurotransmitters (NT): gamma- Aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamate (Glu), and dopamine (DA) in their known role in critical period plasticity in prefrontal and associated regions. In our effort to focus on the adolescent period, the age range of the parent grant was 12-30 years of age. Reviewers, though highly enthusiastic, collectively pointed to a missed opportunity to delineate the course of puberty by including younger subjects. This is of particular importance given animal models linking puberty to critical period plasticity in prefrontal cortex. Thus, we are requesting support to (Aim 1) add 24 10-11 year olds and to include (Aim 2) a biological assay of pubertal development given that we presently only have self-report scales limiting our ability to assess pubertal effects on brain development. The addition of younger subjects and a biological assay of puberty will significantly enhance our ability to characterize for the first time in vivo in humans, relevant neurotransmitter changes underlying critical period plasticity of association cortex. Together, these findings have the potential to reveal neural mechanisms of normative plasticity during the period of adolescent development needed to discern processes underlying the emergence of impaired development that can lead to the emergence of major psychopathology (e.g., schizophrenia, mood disorders, addiction) at this time of development.