The effects of environmental interventions on basal ganglia functioning

基底节是一组大脑结构，起着调节大脑皮层功能的反馈回路的作用。基底节的正常功能是选择和执行程序化运动序列(运动程序)所必需的。因此，神经递质多巴胺在调节基底节功能中起着特别关键的作用。一些改变基底节内多巴胺能信号的因素干扰了获取运动程序的能力，从而削弱了个人对外部世界事件的有效反应能力。众所周知，子宫内环境和早期生活环境可能会产生长期的行为影响。目前的提议旨在研究这些行为影响是否可能是中介的，至少部分是通过基底神经节的变化。拟议的研究应该有助于澄清早期生活事件能够对行为产生长期影响的神经机制。此外，它们还应该表明，宫内接触抗精神病药物是否可能构成后来发展为帕金森氏症的风险因素。

The basal ganglia are a set of brain structures that act as a feedback circuit to modify the functioning of the cerebral cortex.  Proper functioning of the basal ganglia is required for the selection and execution of programmed sequences of movements ("motor programmes").  The neurotransmitter dopamine plays a particularly crucial role in the regulation of basal ganglia function.  Factors which alter dopaminergic signaling within the basal ganglia interfere with the ability to access motor programmes and thereby impair an individual's ability to respond effectively to events in the external world.  It is known that the intrauterine environment and the early life environment can have long-term behavioural effects.  The present proposal aims to study whether these behavioural effects might be mediated, at least in part, by changes in the basal ganglia.  The proposed studies should help to clarify the neural mechanisms by which early life events are able to exert long-lasting effects on behaviour.  They should also indicate whether intrauterine exposure to antipsychotic medication may constitute a risk factor for the later development of Parkinson's disease.