Project Summary

Ashok N. Hegde, Ph.D. (Young Investigator 2005) of Wake Forest University, proposes studying how a protein, RGS4, may influence the ability to filter out irrelevant sensory information, a skill people with schizophrenia lack. Dr. Hegde hypothesizes that a decrease in RGS4 causes an inability in the filtering process. Using a mouse model, Dr. Hegde will use a novel approach to decrease the amount of RGS4 in neurons and to measure the effect on behavior. Dr. Hegde will reduce RGS4 in a simple neuronal circuit, which models the essential features of the complex neuronal circuitry that becomes abnormal in schizophrenia. Also, Dr. Hegde will reduce RGS4 in brain areas directly relevant to schizophrenia and measure behaviors that are altered in schizophrenia. Findings would lead to a better understanding of the cause of schizophrenia and identification of targets for new drugs.

Program Area: SCHIZOPHRENIA/PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS\Schizophrenia\Molecular

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