Objective Understanding the neuronal mechanisms mediating emotional information processing in the amygdala will require identification of its main cell types and knowledge of their participation in the intrinsic circuitry of this region. Amygdala pyramidal neurons a re spiny projection neurons that use glutamate as an excitatory neurotransmitter.In contrast, most non-pyramidal neurons in the amygdala are aspiny interneurons that use GABA as an inhibitory neurotransmitter. Very few studies linking physiological and morphological properties of the various cell types of the amygdala have been done. The precise identification of the main cell types in the amygdala and knowledge of their participation in the intrinsic circuitry of this region is an essential pre-requisite to understand the neuronal mechanisms mediating the diverse roles of the amygdala subsystems.The aim of this project is to characterise some electrophysiological and pharmacological properties of neurochemically and morphologically identified interneurones in the amygdala. This will be a multidisciplinary study in which intracellular recordings followed by intracellular filling will be combined with immunocytochemical characterisation and cellular reconstruction.For this purpose, a transgenic mouse line expressing a green fluorecescent protein (GFP) under the control of the GAD65 (GAD: glutamate decarboxilase enzyme involved in the synthesis of GABA) promoter will be used. After the single, double or triple intracellular recordings, sections will be fixed and re-sectioned. Immunoreactivity for neurotransmitter receptors, calcium binding proteins and neuropeptides will be visualized by immunocytochemistry and the sections will be processed.The axonal and dendritic patterns of each neurone will be then analysed at high magnification and reconstructed. Structural properties of interneuron to principal cell and principal cell to interneuron inputs will also be investigated by electron microscopic analysis. Fields of science medical and health sciencesbasic medicineanatomy and morphologynatural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistryalkaline earth metalsmedical and health sciencesclinical medicinepsychiatryposttraumatic stress disorderengineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringinformation engineeringtelecommunicationstelecommunications networksmobile networknatural sciencescomputer and information sciencesdata sciencedata processing Keywords glutamate metabotropic receptors synaptic transmission transmission metabotropic Programme(s) FP6-MOBILITY - Human resources and Mobility in the specific programme for research, technological development and demonstration "Structuring the European Research Area" under the Sixth Framework Programme 2002-2006 Topic(s) MOBILITY-2.1 - Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowships (EIF) Call for proposal FP6-2004-MOBILITY-5 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme EIF - Marie Curie actions-Intra-European Fellowships Coordinator MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL EU contribution No data Address 20 Park Crescent LONDON United Kingdom See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data
