Molecular Mechanisms in Central Auditory Function,

描述(申请人提供)：本提案是为2004年6月下旬在怀俄明州杰克逊霍尔的雪王度假村举办的第三次研讨会“中枢听觉功能、可塑性和紊乱的分子机制”而提出的。会议的中心焦点是调节神经传递的“分子机制”。会议的前提是这些分子特征调节听觉活动，塑造听觉神经元反应特性，影响发育并提供中枢听觉可塑性。此外，这些分子机制的变化可能是遗传性疾病或获得性中枢性听力障碍的基础，如年龄相关性听力损失、癫痫发作和耳鸣。这一主题仍然重要和及时，越来越多的实验室正在产生新的令人兴奋的结果，产生新的见解。专题讨论会将介绍和突出新的发展，并提供一个可以综合、综合和相互关联的论坛。这将是一次为期三天的会议，形式与我们1999年的会议类似，有平台介绍、海报和正式和非正式讨论的时间。会议的目标是：1)提供对中枢听觉神经元功能多样性潜在的分子机制的了解；2)建立分子机制与细胞特异性反应特征形成之间的相关性；3)检测中枢听觉可塑性的分子机制；4)检测耳鸣、癫痫和年龄相关性听力损失等疾病的潜在分子机制；5)探索遗传学在中枢听觉系统功能和功能障碍中的作用；6)为了提供分子和系统研究人员之间的互动，会议将包括来自听觉系统的约50名受邀演讲者和来自听觉领域以外的另外两名演讲者的平台演讲，以及向所有参与者开放的海报会议。根据我们以前的经验和地点的吸引力，我们预计将从对这一主题感兴趣的其他科学家和学生那里再吸引30-50名额外的参与者(包括两名少数群体奖学金的获得者)。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal is for a third Symposium on "Molecular Mechanisms in Central Auditory Function, Plasticity and Disorders" at the Snow King Resort in Jackson Hole, Wyoming to be held in late June 2004. The central focus of the conference is the "molecular mechanisms" regulating neurotransmission. The premise of the conference is that these molecular features regulate auditory activity, shape auditory neuronal response properties, influence development and provide for central auditory plasticity. Furthermore, changes in these molecular mechanisms can underlie genetic disorders or acquired central auditory disorders such as age related hearing loss, seizures and tinnitus. The topic remains important and timely, with new and exciting results being generated from an increasing number of laboratories, generating new insights. The Symposium will present and highlight new developments and to provide a forum where they can be synthesized, integrated and correlated. This will be a three day meeting, under a similar format to our 1999 meeting, with platform presentations, posters and time for formal and informal discussions. The goals are: 1) To provide an understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying functional diversity in central auditory neurons; 2) To develop correlation between molecular mechanisms and the shaping of cell specific response characteristics; 3) To examine molecular mechanisms underlying central auditory plasticity; 4) To examine molecular mechanisms underlying disorders such as tinnitus, seizures and age related hearing loss; 5) To explore the role of genetics in central auditory system function and dysfunction; 6) To provide interaction between molecular and systems researchers The conference will consist of platform presentations by approximately 50 invited speakers from the auditory system and two additional speakers from outside the auditory field as well as a Poster Session open to contributions from all participants. Based on our previous experience and the attraction of the location, we expect to draw another 30 - 50 additional participants (including recipients of two minority fellowships) from other scientists and students interested in this topic.