Molecular Neurology Active Projects

Clinical Proteome Program.

At present, this Program aims to discover the molecular composition of human subjects, in order to better diagnose, treat and manage disease.  While the pursuit of the complete molecular content of our bodies is far out of our current reach, we propose to make a major effort to establish relevant compositional "maps" of proteins for common diseases.  Our focus is on common brain afflictions.  We have recruited 120 out of an eventual 600 study participants with depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, Creutzfeldt-Jakob, Alzheimer's or Parkinson's diseases, multiple sclerosis, headache, or "normal" brain function (the latter defined after excluding identifiable psychiatric or neurologic disease).  The overall study has received ethical approval from the Huntington Hospital.  In order to obtain a broad measure of brain composition from living persons, we collect cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from these subjects. CSF contains thousands of different proteins similar to those that are found in diluted brain extracts.  From this CSF, we aim to determine the differences between diseases and within the same individual when illness fluctuates, such as during an episode of depression followed by the later return to normal mood.  We anticipate that the discovery of these changes should be reachable within 1-3 years.  (Contact Dr. Harrington at mghworksathmridotorg).

The Brain Lipid Project.

Although 50 % of the dry mass of the brain is made up of lipids, very little is known about the molecular composition and functions of the various classes of lipids found in the brain in health or disease.  An integral part of the Molecular Neurology Program is to use state-of-the-art technology (High Performance Liquid Chromatography and electrospray tandem mass spectroscopy) to completely map out the lipid composition of cerebrospinal fluids and major regions of the brain.  Currently, we are looking at changes in lipids in the CSF of the study participants in our Proteome Project.  Our initial observations are that there are significant changes in lipids that are crucial in the control of sleep and/or pain.  These studies have the potential of uncovering new therapeutic targets that will be the basis for the rational design of effective strategies for the management of neurological processes.  (Contact Dr. Fonteh at afontehathmridotorg)