A5075853547- Genetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms
- Genetic Neurodegenerative Diseases
- Neurological disorders and treatments
- Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Nerve injury and regeneration
- Spatial Cognition and Navigation
- Neuropeptides and Animal Physiology
- Pancreatic function and diabetes
- Protein Kinase Regulation and GTPase Signaling
- Receptor Mechanisms and Signaling
- Protease and Inhibitor Mechanisms
- PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling in cancer
- Ion channel regulation and function
- Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Phosphodiesterase function and regulation
- Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors Study
- Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- RNA modifications and cancer
- Congenital heart defects research
- Cellular transport and secretion
- Axon Guidance and Neuronal Signaling
McGill University
2015-2024
Cancer Institute (WIA)
2024
McGill University Health Centre
2017-2023
KU Leuven
2009-2017
The University of Melbourne
2006-2015
Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health
2006-2015
University of Antwerp
2000-2006
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
2006
The multiple memory systems hypothesis posits that dorsal striatum and hippocampus are central nodes in independent systems, supporting response-based place-based learning, respectively. Although our understanding of the function within this framework is relatively well established, contribution less clear. This part seems to be due heterogeneous nature striatum, which receives extensive topographically organized projections from higher cortical areas. Here we quantified neural activity...
The MAPK/ERK (mitogen-activated protein kinases/extracellular signal-regulated kinase) pathway is a cardinal regulator of synaptic plasticity, learning, and memory in the hippocampus. One major endpoints this signaling cascade 5′ mRNA cap binding eIF4E (eukaryotic Initiation Factor 4E), which phosphorylated on Ser 209 by MNK (MAPK-interacting kinases) controls translation. precise role phospho-eIF4E brain yet to be determined. Herein, we demonstrate that ablation phosphorylation male mice (...
Significance Disrupting cellular mechanisms that control protein synthesis can lead to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in humans. Repetitive motions, impaired social interaction, and altered vocal communication are core symptoms of ASD be mimicked mice. Deletion the inhibitor, eukaryotic initiation factor 4E binding 2 (4E-BP2), causes autistic behaviors Using a variety conditional knockout mouse models, we found loss 4E-BP2 inhibitory neurons brain, but not excitatory or astrocytes, behaviors.
We generated a mouse line harboring an autosomal-dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy (ADNFLE) mutation: the α4 nicotinic receptor S248F knock-in strain. In this mouse, modest nicotine doses (1–2 mg/kg) elicit novel behavior termed dystonic arousal complex (DAC). The DAC includes stereotypical head movements, body jerking, and forelimb dystonia; these behaviors resemble some core features of ADNFLE. A marked Straub tail is additional component DAC. Similar to attacks in ADNFLE, can be...
Mutations in HPRT1, a gene encoding rate-limiting enzyme for purine salvage, cause Lesch-Nyhan disease which is characterized by self-injury and motor impairments. We leveraged stem cell genetic engineering technologies to model the isogenic patient-derived forebrain midbrain types. Dopaminergic progenitor cells deficient HPRT showed decreased intensity of all developmental cell-fate markers measured. Metabolic analyses revealed significant loss derivatives, except hypoxanthine, impaired...
Huntington's disease is characterized by death of striatal projection neurons. We used a Cre/Lox transgenic approach to generate an animal model in which D1 dopamine receptor ( Drd1a )+ cells are progressively ablated the postnatal brain. Striatal Drd1a, substance P , and dynorphin expression lost, whereas D2 Drd2 ) enkephalin up-regulated. Magnetic resonance spectroscopic analysis demonstrated early elevation choline/creatine ratio, finding associated with extensive reactive astrogliosis....
Mice of the FVB/N strain are severely visual impaired as a result tyrosinase gene defects, leading to deficiency key enzyme for melanin synthesis in skin and eye cyclic guanosine monophosphate phosphodiesterase which results albinism (Tyr c/c ) retinal degeneration (Pde6b rd1/rd1 ), respectively. Nevertheless, mice commonly used generation transgenic animals because their large, strong pronuclei high breeding performance. However, due impairment animals, resulting cannot be tests that depend...
MAPK interacting protein kinases 1 and 2 (Mnk1/2) regulate a plethora of functions, presumably via phosphorylation their best characterized substrate, eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) on Ser209. Here, we show that, whereas deletion Mnk1/2 (Mnk double knockout) impairs synaptic plasticity memory in mice, ablation phospho-eIF4E (Ser209) does not affect these processes, suggesting that possess additional downstream effectors the brain. Translational profiling revealed only...