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The National Institute of Mental Health has awarded Dr. Ji Ying Sze $900,000 over two years to study the role of serotonin (5-HT) dysregulation in contributing to mental disorders. SERT is a transporter protein that regulates the amount of 5-HT available at receptors to which it binds. Genetic variations that reduce SERT expression are associated with disorders such as autism and depression and are linked to irregularities in brain regions that process emotion. SERT has been well characterized in the raphe neurons distributed near the midline of the brainstem. Dr. Sze has uncovered a previously unknown SERT function in different neurons, operating specifically during a developmental period that lays down neural circuits. These are glutamatergic neurons, which act as “5-HT absorbing neurons,” preventing excessive 5-HT perturbation of the developing cortex. Dr. Sze will investigate how perturbing this SERT function during brain development leads to lifetime alterations in cortical architecture and anxiety/depressive behavior. By exploring how 5-HT regulates early life programming of behavioral circuits, Dr. Sze hopes to improve understand how serotonin-related mental disorders develop and to identify possible therapies for slowing or preventing the onset of these diseases. Dr. Sze is associate professor of molecular pharmacology.
Posted on: Wednesday, December 23, 2015