Professor Darryl Eyles - QBI : "New experimental models to understand the role of dopamine in the transition from the “prodrome” to schizophrenia".
Speaker: Professor Darryl Eyles
Queensland Brain Institute
University of Queensland
Please note this seminar has been moved to the AIBN Seminar Room
Title: New experimental models to understand the role of dopamine in the transition from the “prodrome” to schizophrenia
Increased dopamine release restricted within the dorsal striatum is the most robust neurochemical abnormality in schizophrenia and a good marker of treatment response. This knowledge has refocused recent genetic, brain structural and neuroanatomical research to reconsider this hitherto under-explored region in schizophrenia. Contemporary studies indicate the dorsal or “associative” striatum represents the region of greatest volume change, the major loci for glutamatergic abnormalities and the greatest site of differential gene expression in the brains of patients.
Our group have been building models in rats mimicking this selective increase in dorsal striatal dopamine. These models not only reproduce relevant behaviours but behavioural onset maps on to prodromal patterns of disease progression in patients. They are also proving informative for the impact of hyperdopaminergia on this region thus unlocking potential future therapeutic/prophylactic targets.
About Neuroscience Seminars
Neuroscience seminars at the QBI play a major role in the advancement of neuroscience in the Asia-Pacific region. The primary goal of these seminars is to promote excellence in neuroscience through the exchange of ideas, establishing new collaborations and augmenting partnerships already in place.
Seminars in the QBI Auditorium are held on Wednesdays at 12-1pm, which are sometimes simulcast on Zoom (with approval from the speaker). We also occassionally hold seminars from international speakers via Zoom. The days and times of these seminars will vary depending on the time zone of the speaker. Please see each seminar listed below for details.
