The arteriolar myogenic response and the venoarteriolar reflex (VAR) are local vasoconstrictor responses to increased intravascular pressure that involve local sensory afferents. Recent evidence suggests that these responses involve activation of the neuronal vanilloid receptor, TRPV1 on C-fibers causing local depolarization and neuropeptide release effects local vasoconstriction.

Depression is a severe and common mental disorder and often coexists with metabolic disorders such as diabetes. Therefore, the identification and characterization of therapeutic targets that are potentially beneficial for the treatment of both depression and diabetes would be of great clinical significance. Adiponectin, a hormone secreted almost exclusively by white adipose tissue, is well recognized as an anti-diabetic adipokine. We have demonstrated that adiponectin insufficiency increases susceptibility to depression-like symptoms.

The Integrated Graduate Program in Neuroscience at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA) provides diverse training in a range of neuroscientific research areas and approaches, from molecular, cellular, and neurochemical to systems, behavioral and clinical neuroscience. There are 34 training faculty drawn from the mentoring faculty in the Neuroscience Track in the Integrated Multidisciplinary Graduate Program (IMGP) at UTHSCSA.

The long-term goal of this research project is to understand the role of scaffolding proteins in the regulation of nociceptor plasticity. Dynamic changes to proteins expressed in primary afferent terminals significantly alter pain sensation. For instance, ion channel phosphorylation can modulate channel activity, thereby affecting acute nocifensive responses to noxious stimuli. However, states of persistent pain likely rely on multiple mechanisms of dynamic protein modifications to maintain peripheral nociceptor sensitization.

The applicant's career goal is to become a physician-scientist studying translational research in age- related neurodegeneration. A comprehensive training plan with a team of mentors of diverse backgrounds will ensure the applicant's career development. The proposed studies will address the mechanism of Amyloid-beta mediated mTOR dysregulation in neurodegeneration. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of age-related neurodegeneration and is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S.

Methamphetamine (METH) addiction currently presents an enormous public health issue, and yet no therapeutic agent is currently approved for its treatment. Psychostimulant addiction is a chronic, progressive disease driven by numerous persistent neurophysiological adaptations. METH self-administration increases input of the neuropeptide neurotensin onto dopamine (DA) neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), which are extensively implicated in drug reward processes.

The groundbreaking discovery that adult cells can be reprogrammed into embryonic-like induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells has developed excitement for future innovative patient-specific cell and tissue regeneration therapies. iPS cells can develop into any desired cell type under appropriate conditions. For regenerative dentistry goals, deriving cranial neural crest (CNC) cells from iPS cells is an important step for future development of iPS-derived cranial-facial structure regeneration therapies.

Adolescent substance use is common and associated with both significant negative individual consequences and substantial costs to society. The proposed study will capitalize on a cost-effective opportunity to identify neurobiological mechanisms underlying risks for, and consequences of, adolescent substance use. Tests will be conducted in adolescents with high (n= 68) and low (n = 34) familial risk for substance use disorders, selected from a larger ongoing longitudinal study that is testing causal relationships between the development of impulse control and substance use.

Adolescent substance use is common and associated with both significant negative individual consequences and substantial costs to society. The proposed study will capitalize on a cost-effective opportunity to identify neurobiological mechanisms underlying risks for, and consequences of, adolescent substance use. Tests will be conducted in adolescents with high (n= 68) and low (n = 34) familial risk for substance use disorders, selected from a larger ongoing longitudinal study that is testing causal relationships between the development of impulse control and substance use.

The Serotonin Club, founded in 1987, is an international association for biomedical scientists who are interested in research on any aspect of serotonin. An important objective of the Club is to facilitate the involvement of young investigators, comprising students, post-doctoral fellows and junior researchers (less than 3 years past their post-doctoral fellowship) in an international high-quality scientific meeting withserotonin as its central theme.