Briefs (10/26/06)

Pitt professor and student find out more about the brain

Clay Webster, Staff Writer… Pitt professor and student find out more about the brain

Clay Webster, Staff Writer

Pitt associate professor of neuroscience John W. Johnson and Anqi Qian, a former Pitt graduate student, have published their research on the specialized functions of various N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors in the current issue of the Journal of Neuroscience.

The paper, which was three years in the making, looks at molecular receptors in the brain, which conduct ions in to and out of cells and are necessary for communication between brain cells.

Their work studied how different types of receptor molecules, particularly NR1/2D receptors, reacted differently to ions. Using computer modeling, they found that variety in ion/receptor interaction and receptor structure is responsible for specialized receptor function.

Although NR1/2D receptors have not received a wealth of attention, Johnson believes that his work illustrates how evolution produced receptors with “finely tuned properties that help optimize brain function.”

Johnson believes that a thorough understanding of how these receptors work might be the key to developing better treatments for stroke, schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease. In fact, in the near future he will be conducting research on how the drug memantine, used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s, affects the NR1/2D receptors.

His research partner, Qian, is currently assistant director of strategy research at Carnegie Mellon University Qatar campus.