NIH-CSR <span id="Postingname3_PostingDisplayName">Clinical Neuroplasticity and Neurotransmitters Study Section [CNNT]</span> (BDCNIRG)

Formerly BDCN-2

The Clinical Neuroplasticity and Neurotransmitters [CNNT] Study Section addresses the area of neural disease and injury across the life span that focuses on neurotransmitter or neurotrophic function including associated receptors. This includes studies of plasticity, regeneration, and therapeutic strategies. Relevant disorders include stroke/ischemia, neurodegenerative diseases, epilepsy, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, dystonia/ataxia, and neuropathies. Studies primarily involve animal models although patient-oriented research may be reviewed.

Specific areas covered by CNNT:

Neurotransmitter synthesis, regulation, release, degradation, and inactivation; abnormalities of receptor number, distribution and function; abnormalities of synaptic physiology; functional imaging of particular neurotransmitter pathways; role of growth factors, neurotrophins, and neurohormones
Pharmacological studies; diagnostics and therapeutic strategies involving receptor agonists and antagonists; pharmacological effects on synaptic physiology and second messenger pathways; neurotrophins and neurohormones
Mechanisms of degeneration, plasticity and recovery; neuropathological and compensatory changes in neurotransmitter function; role of trophic factors; therapeutic interventions’ new animal models of epilepsy, spinal cord injury and Parkinson’s disease
Therapeutic approaches involving neurotransmitter function; pre-clinical and clinical studies of drugs, gene therapy, cell and tissue transplantation, including stem cells, and drug delivery across the blood-brain barrier, the use of imaging techniques to investigate time course of therapeutic approaches such as gene and stem cells delivery.

CNNT has the following shared interests within the BDCN IRG:

With Clinical Neuroscience and Neurodegeneration [CNN]: Both CNN and CNNT may review studies that examine neurodegeneration and neurotransmitters. CNN reviews translational and clinical studies including treatment and diagnosis of neurodegenerative disorders that involve neurotransmitters, while CNNT reviews studies that focus on the functions neurotransmitter their receptors.
With Clinical Neuroscience and Disease [ANIE]: Studies may be reviewed by CNNT or ANIE may involve neurotransmitters or neurotrophins in brain injury and epilepsy. ANIE reviews clinical and translational studies of brain injury and epilepsy, while CNNT reviews studies of basic neurotransmitter and receptor function and new models of epilepsy and brain injury.

With Cell Death in Neurodegeneration [CDIN]: CDIN and CNNT reviews studies on the molecular and cellular basis of neural disorders. Studies reviewed in CDIN include those on apoptosis, oxidative or general metabolic mechanisms, protein and macromolecular metabolism, while CNNT reviews studies which focus on neurotransmitters, neurotrophins or neurohormone-related proteins.
With Clinical Neuroimmunology and Brain Tumors [CNBT]: CNBT reviews studies of neural disorders that focus on immune and inflammatory mechanisms, while CNNT reviews studies which focus on neurotransmitters, neurotrophins or neurohormone-related proteins. Studies may have components of each of these two areas of study, but those for which the immune process or vascular mechanisms is the focus of the application, review by CNBT is more appropriate.
With Brain Injury and Neurovascular Pathologies [BINP]: CNNT and BINP review studies that propose to investigate abnormalities in neurotransmitter systems. BINP evaluates studies of the ischemic or hypoxic cell death mechanisms that may be related to neurotransmitter function, neurotrophins, regeneration and stem cell or gene therapy for the replacement for specific neurotrophic or neurotransmitter systems, while CNNT studies focus on the basic aspects of function and control of these same systems.
With Developmental Brain Disorders [DBD]: DBD reviews studies of neurodevelopmental disorders, especially when the focus is on unique aspects of the developing nervous system. Neurotransmitter and receptor disease processes that are in common between children and adults may be reviewed in CNNT. If the focus of the proposed studies in the neurotransmitters and/or receptors, CNNT is probably most appropriate for review, but if neurotransmitter studies are just one aspect of application about neural development, then DBD would be more appropriate.

CNNT has the following shared interests outside the BDCN IRG:

· With the Biobehavioral and Behavioral Processes [BBBP] IRG: Studies where the primary focus is on behavior and behavioral approaches may be reviewed in BBBP IRG. Studies that focus mainly on neurotransmitter and receptor function in the neural disorder or injury may be reviewed in CNNT.

· With the Endocrinology, Metabolism, Nutrition and Reproductive Sciences [EMNR] IRG: EMNR and CNNT share an interest in neuroendocrine function. Studies that focus on the neuroendrocrine control of reproduction, gonadotropin releasing hormones, pituitary hypothalamic connections and pituitary gonadal interactions could be assigned to the EMNR IRG, while those studies focusing on the effects of neurodegenerative disease and brain injury on neuroendrocrine function could be reviewed within CNNT.

With the Genes, Genomes and Genetics [GGG] IRG: The GGG IRG has shared interests with CNNT with respect to an interest in diseases of the nervous system. However, when the focus is primarily on molecular genetic approaches, large-scale gene/genomic/genetic studies, gene discovery using complex or novel technologies, the application could be reviewed in the GGG IRG. Studies that focus primarily on trophic, neurotransmitter and receptor function in the neural disorder or injury could be reviewed in CNNT.
With the Health of the Population [HOP] IRG: Studies dealing with descriptive and analytical epidemiologic aspects of various neurologic disorders including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, stroke and epilepsy may be reviewed within the HOP IRG, while studies that focus primarily on trophic, neurotransmitter and receptor function in the neural disorder or injury could be reviewed in CNNT.
With the Hematology [HEME] IRG: Studies that focus on hematopoiesis, blood cells and related diseases could be assigned to the HEME IRG. Studies that focus on the use of hematopoietic stem cells as therapeutic intervention following brain and spinal cord injury could be referred to CNNT.
With the Integrative, Functional and Cognitive Neuroscience [IFCN] IRG: In general, BDCN study sections review studies relating to abnormal and pathological states, while the IFCN IRG reviews normal aspects of brain function. For example, while IFCN and CNNT share common interests in disorders of learning and memory and diseases that involve motor systems, if the focus is to elucidate specific normal memory processes or the neural substrates of motor function, then studies may be assigned to IFCN. Studies that focus primarily on trophic factors, neurotransmitter and receptor function in the neural disorder or injury may be reviewed in CNNT.
With the Immunology [IMM] IRG: Studies focusing on organ-specific aspects of the physiology and pathology of transplantation could be reviewed within the IMM IRG, while studies dealing with transplantation of tissue into the brain as a therapeutic tool could be reviewed within CNNT.
With the Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Neuroscience [MDCN] IRG: The MDCN IRG reviews studies on the basic mechanisms of neurotransmitter and receptor function, and reviews studies focused on fundamental cellular and molecular mechanisms. Studies of the fundamental role of neurotransmitters and related molecules in development and plasticity could be reviewed in the MDCN IRG, while studies focusing on trophic factors, neurotransmitter and receptor function in a neural disorder or injury could be reviewed in CNNT. In addition, studies using stem cells where the primary goal is to advance understanding of neural induction, specification, or differentiation are appropriate for the MDCN IRG. Studies focused primarily on restorative/therapeutic outcome may be appropriate for review within CNNT.
With the Musculoskeletal, Oral and Skin Sciences [MOSS] IRG: CNNT has shared interests with the MOSS IRG with respect to research on recovery and rehabilitation following injury to the CNS. While MOSS has broad expertise in physical therapy, physiology, and non-neuronal systems, CNNT has particular expertise in the neural basis of rehabilitation and recovery particularly following spinal cord injury.
With the Renal and Urological Sciences [RUS] IRG: Studies focusing on central nervous systems regulation of urological function could be assigned to the RUS IRG, while studies dealing with bladder problems secondary to spinal cord injury may be assigned to CNNT.
With the Surgical Sciences, Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering [SBIB] IRG: The SBIB IRG may review studies with focus on the development of imaging technology. However, where the proposed research is oriented toward the application of imaging techniques for studying neurological disorders or injury or their treatment, CNNT may be more appropriate. Both CNNT and the SBIB IRG may review studies dealing with functional brain imaging; however, CNNT may be more appropriate to review those studies using imaging as a tool to study neurological disorders or injury or their treatment modalities. SBIB may be more appropriate to review studies concerning the development and evaluation of imaging procedures.