Career Development in epigenetic control of memory maintenance

描述(申请人提供)：认知和记忆丧失障碍影响了美国人口的很大一部分，随着人类预期寿命的持续增加，导致行为缺陷和记忆丧失的迟发性障碍的发生呈上升趋势。对习得行为的长期记忆的分子基础知之甚少，因此，对学习和记忆机制的任何分子遗传学见解都将对人类记忆丧失的预防、治疗和逆转产生广泛而可能深远的影响。我们建议对表观遗传因素在维持长期记忆中起关键作用的假设进行检验。通过使用果蝇，我们将探索表观遗传因素的可能功能，并将研究模型，这些模型将解决随着时间的推移保持长期记忆期间习得行为和表观遗传过程之间的相互作用。 公共卫生相关性：认知和记忆丧失障碍影响着美国人口的很大一部分，随着人类预期寿命的持续增加，导致行为缺陷和记忆丧失的迟发性障碍的发生呈上升趋势。我们将探索表观遗传因素的可能功能，并将研究在长期记忆维持过程中学习行为和表观遗传过程之间的相互作用的模型。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Cognitive and memory loss disorders affect a large part of the US population, and as life expectancy of humans continues to increase, the occurrence of late onset disorders leading to behavioral deficits and memory loss is on the rise. The molecular basis of long-term memory of learned behaviors is poorly understood, and thus any molecular genetic insights into the mechanisms of learning and memory will have broad and possibly profound implications for the prevention, treatment and reversal of memory loss in humans. We propose to test the hypothesis that epigenetic factors play critical functions in maintenance of long- term memory. By using Drosophila we will explore the possible function of epigenetic factors and will investigate models that will address the interactions among learned behaviors and epigenetic processes during maintenance of long- term memory over time. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Cognitive and memory loss disorders affect a large part of the US population, and as life expectancy of humans continues to increase, the occurrence of late onset disorders leading to behavioral deficits and memory loss is on the rise. We will explore the possible function of epigenetic factors and will investigate models that will address the interactions among learned behaviors and epigenetic processes during maintenance of long-term memory.