INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MR: GENES, BRAIN & BEHAVIOR

本申请旨在促进初级和 参加国际精神医学会议的美国高级调查人员 发育迟缓：基因、大脑和行为。 精神发育迟滞的科学研究涉及三个相关的 领域：遗传和环境原因、大脑机制和 行为表达。源自行为研究的治疗 已经成功地提高了个人的生活质量 精神发育迟滞。大脑研究人员开始阐明 将生物原因与行为表达联系起来的机制。更多 最近，基因研究已经走到了治疗的门槛 消除精神发育迟滞的遗传原因。建议数 正在召开国际跨学科会议，以提供 这是一个论坛，面向以下领域的顶尖科学家及其同事 遗传学、畸形学、神经科学、神经生物学和行为科学 分享他们的最新发现，评估报告的数据，讨论 他们的发现的跨学科影响，并发展 进一步预防和治疗精神疾病的合作 发育迟缓和其他发育障碍。 这项赠款申请的具体目的是吸引美国领先的。 科学家出席会议并鼓励有才华的年轻人 美国调查人员将出席。 智力低下是一种主要的医疗、经济和情感负担 我们的许多公民。此外，相当数量的公众 照顾弱智人士需要资金，例如， 美国政府问责局最近的报告指出，发育迟缓的人口 残疾人每年获得超过130亿美元的公共资金用于 单独的长期护理。因此，制定战略是一个值得追求的目标。 用于预防和治疗。细菌鉴定技术的快速发展 与精神发育迟滞相关的基因导致技术 由人类基因组计划刺激的发展，以及 对大脑功能和行为的最新和令人兴奋的见解需要 整合到与心理有直接关联的环境中 智力迟缓。召开一次国际会议是及时的，在那里 这些不同学科的专家可以分享研究结果，开发 跨学科的视角和激励未来的研究 预防和治疗。

This application seeks to facilitate participation of both junior and senior U.S. investigators in the International Conference on Mental Retardation: Genes, Brain, and Behavior. Scientific research in mental retardation has involved three related domains: genetic and environmental causes, brain mechanisms, and behavioral expression. Treatments emanating from behavioral research have been successful in improving the quality of life for individuals with mental retardation. Brain researchers are beginning to elucidate the mechanisms linking biological causes to behavioral expression. More recently, genetic research has come to the threshold of treatment to eliminate genetic causes of mental retardation. The proposed international, interdisciplinary conference is being convened to provide a forum for leading scientists and their associates in the fields of genetics, teratology, neuroscience, neurobiology, and behavioral science to share their latest findings, evaluate the data reported, discuss the interdisciplinary implications of their findings, and develop collaborations to further the prevention and treatment of mental retardation and other developmental disabilities. The specific aims of this grant application are to attract leading U.S. scientists to present at the conference and to encourage talented junior American investigators to attend. Mental retardation is a major medical, financial and emotional burden for many of our citizens. In addition, a significant amount of public funding is required for care of the mentally retarded, as for example, a recent GAO report noted that the population with developmental disabilities receives more than $13 billion annually in public funding for long-term care alone. Thus it is a worthwhile goal to develop strategies for prevention and treatment. The rapid advances in identification of genes related to mental retardation resulting in technological developments stimulated by the Human Genome Project, along with the recent and exciting insights into brain function and behavior need to be integrated into a context that has direct relevance for mental retardation. It is timely to hold an international conference where experts in these various disciplines can share findings, develop interdisciplinary perspectives and stimulate future research into prevention and treatment.