Project Summary

Janet Finlay, Ph.D. (Independent Investigator 2004) of Western Washington University, will explore whether norepinephrine uptake inhibitors may represent novel adjuncts in the function of cognitive deficits associated with partial loss of mesoprefrontal dopamine nerve terminal sustained early in development. Using a rat model, she will examine whether acute and chronic administration of reboxetine alleviate cognitive deficits and increase extracellular dopamine in the prefrontal cortex of rats previously sustaining partial loss of dopamine in this brain region early in development. Dr. Finlay believes this area is significant as the prefrontal cortex receives dense norepinephrine innervation and it has been shown that norepinephrine nerve terminals play a role in terminating the action of dopamine in this brain region, by uptake of dopamine into norepinephrine terminals via the norepinephrine transporter uptake. She believes that systemic administration of norepinephrine uptake inhibitors may prolong the action of dopamine in the prefrontal cortex while leaving subcortical dopamine systems largely unaffected, thereby lessening cognitive deficits associated with a deficiency in prefrontal cortex dopamine without worsening the functioning symptoms of the disorder.

Program Area: SCHIZOPHRENIA/PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS\Schizophrenia

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