# NEUROPHYSIOLOGY OF AGING NEOSTRIATUM

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES · 1992 · $148,072

## Abstract

The research in this proposal will elucidate mechanisms underlying changes
that occur in the functional properties of neurons due to the process of
aging.  Experiments will focus on a part of the basal ganglia, the
neostriatum, because this area of the brain is involved in pathological
conditions associated with aging.  In the first two specific aims of this
proposal, the nature and time-course of the age-related changes in the
responses of neostriatal neurons to application of excitatory amino acid
neurotransmitters, some of their receptor agonists and dopamine will be
assessed.  Experiments will concentrate on determining how the ability of
dopamine to modulate the actions of excitatory amino acid neurotransmitter
systems is affected by aging.  These neurophysiological studies will be
performed using the in vitro neostriatal brain slice preparation in rats.
Intracellular recording techniques have been used to ascertain how the
basic passive and active membrane properties of neostriatal cells and their
responses to activation of local synaptic inputs are altered by the aging
process.  In the proposed studies, experiments will compare how these
electrophysiological properties are affected by application of amino acids
and dopamine in young (3 months), middle-aged (12 months) and aged (>24
months) rats.  In the third specific aim, morphological methods will be
used to assess the arrangement of afferents containing glutamate and
dopamine markers in the neostriatum.  These studies will determine the
age-related changes in the relationships between glutamate and dopamine
containing terminals contacting physiologically identified neostriatal
neurons.  A second morphological experiment will assess, at cellular and
subcellular levels, age-induced changes in expression of D2 dopamine
receptors using antibodies directed against peptide fragments of the
receptor protein.  Together, the proposed studies will indicate at a
functional cellular level, how neurotransmitter action is altered during
aging and how these changes relate to morphological alterations.  The
information obtained from these studies is important because pathologies
of the neostriatum are involved in age-related neurological disorders
exemplified by Parkinson's Disease and Huntington's Disease.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3122203
- **Project number:** 1R01AG010252-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
- **SAM.gov UEI:** RN64EPNH8JC6
- **Principal Investigator:** Michael S. Levine
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1992
- **Award amount:** $148,072
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 1992-09-30 → 1995-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3122203

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3122203, NEUROPHYSIOLOGY OF AGING NEOSTRIATUM (1R01AG010252-01A1). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3122203. Licensed CC0.

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