Project Summary

Kush Paul, Ph.D. (Young Investigator 2002) of State University of New York, Stony Brook, will study “hypofrontality” (a decrease in extracellular dopamine in the prefrontal cortex leading to increased excitation of prefrontal pyramidal cells) which causes excitatory bursting oscillations of dopamine (DA) cells in the midbrain ventral tegmental area.  Dr. Paul believes that a calcium activated potassium current may be able to control the dopamine bursting.  He believes an understanding of the control of burst filing exerted by the calcium activated potassium current is essential for possible development of alternate drug therapy that involves an increase in the amplitude or duration of it.  The project may have useful implications for disorders of dopamine physiology such as schizophrenia.

Program Area: SCHIZOPHRENIA/PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS\Schizophrenia

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