Bridging Mice and Men

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=12.5% BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" width="100%" style=" border-top: 26px solid #FFFFFF; border-left: 63px solid #FFFFFF;border-right: 63px solid #FFFFFF;" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <TABLE BORDER="1" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="887" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#808080" BORDERCOLORDARK="#FFFFFF" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#DDDDDD HEIGHT= 88 ><NOBR><div> <B><IMG SRC="14d71e4a0.png" border=0 width="798" height="74" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="152953530.jpg" border=0 width="83" height="83" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#BBBBBB HEIGHT= 30 ><NOBR><div> <B> </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Silvalab"><B><IMG SRC="154b61190.png" border=0 width="97" height="25" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A><B> </B><A HREF="projects.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Projects "><B><IMG SRC="147e61190.png" border=0 width="97" height="25" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A><A HREF="approaches.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Approaches"><B><IMG SRC="147f61190.png" border=0 width="97" height="25" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A><A HREF="publications.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Publications"><B><IMG SRC="148061190.png" border=0 width="97" height="25" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A><A HREF="personnel.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Lab Members"><B><IMG SRC="148161190.png" border=0 width="97" height="25" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A><A HREF="alcino.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Alcino J. Silva"><B><IMG SRC="148261190.png" border=0 width="97" height="25" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A><A HREF="awards.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Awards"><B><IMG SRC="148361190.png" border=0 width="97" height="25" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A><A HREF="positions.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Open Positions"><B><IMG SRC="148461190.png" border=0 width="97" height="25" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A><A HREF="aboutus.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="aboutus"><B><IMG SRC="148561190.png" border=0 width="97" height="25" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#6666CC HEIGHT= 20 WIDTH="883"><div>  </div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="1" CELLPADDING="4" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="883" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#330000" BORDERCOLORDARK="#FFFFFF" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP ROWSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 199 ><NOBR><div> Approaches:</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="approaches64.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Molecular Genetics"><B>Molecular Genetics</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="approaches69.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="PRISM"><B>PRISM</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="electrophysiology.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Electrophysiology"><B>Electrophysiology</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="approaches67.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Neuroanatomy"><B>Neuroanatomy</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="approaches339.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="in vivo Imaging"><B>in vivo Imaging</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="behavior.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Behavioral Analyses"><B>Behavioral Analyses</B></A></div> <div> <B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Bridging Mice and Men</B></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="nf1.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Neurofibromatosis Type I"><B>Our NF1 work </B></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="tsc.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="TSC"><B>Our  TSC work </B></A><A HREF="tsc.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="TSC"> </A></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1551a98c0.jpg" border=0 width="169" height="140" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP ROWSPAN=2 WIDTH="620"><bR> <div> <IMG SRC="2fce7a70.png" border=0 width="231" height="167" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Bridging mice and men</div> <bR> <div> In the last decade the work in our laboratory was focused on the molecular, cellular and circuit mechanisms of learning and memory. However, we have also studied animal models of genetic disorders affecting cognition. We are currently  translating our findings into clinical interventions. For example, <A HREF="nf1.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Neurofibromatosis Type I">Neurofibromatosis Type I</A> (NF1) is an inherited disorder that affects cognitive function in 1/4500 people world-wide.  Based on our studies of the molecular and cellular mechanisms disrupted by Nf1 mutations in mice, we developed treatments that reverse the learning deficits of the Nf1 mutant mice. Similarly, we have been able to develop treatments that reverse the learning deficits associated with <A HREF="tsc.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="TSC">Tuberous Sclerosis</A> (TSC) in mice. Now, we are involved in clinical trials to apply these findings to the treatment of learning disabilities in children with NF1 and TSC.</div> <bR> </tD> </tR> <tR> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 225 WIDTH="863"><div> Mechanisms of human cognition</div> <bR> <div> In addition to studies designed to unravel new approaches to treat cognitive deficits associated with learning disabilities and other disorders, our laboratory is also carrying out parallel studies in mice and men to unravel the molecular and cellular mechanisms of human cognition. For example, recently we found that enhanced GABA-mediated inhibition accounts for the working memory deficits of an animal model of NF1. Consistent with the idea that enhanced GABA-mediated inhibition could also explain the working memory deficits in NF1 patients, functional imaging studies showed hypoactivation of prefrontal circuits in NF1 patients during a working memory task. We are collaborating with <A HREF="http://www.cannonlab.psych.ucla.edu/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.cannonlab.psych.ucla.edu/">Tyrone Cannon</A>, <A HREF="http://dgsom.healthsciences.ucla.edu/institution/personnel?personnel_id=74845" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://dgsom.healthsciences.ucla.edu/ins">Carrie Bearden</A> , Tena Rosner and Petrus J. de Vries on these studies.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 76 WIDTH="863"><bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="approaches64.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Molecular Genetics">Molecular Genetics</A>   ·   <A HREF="approaches69.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="PRISM">PRISM</A>   ·   <A HREF="electrophysiology.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Electrophysiology">Electrophysiology</A>   ·   <A HREF="approaches67.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Neuroanatomy">Neuroanatomy</A>   ·   <A HREF="approaches339.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="in vivo Imaging">in vivo Imaging</A>   ·   <A HREF="behavior.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Behavioral Analyses">Behavioral Analyses</A>   ·   <B>Bridging Mice and Men</B></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>