Research Description Research in this laboratory is generally focussed on the interaction of metabolism and neurodegenerative processes.
Current research is concentrated in several areas.
The pathways of amino acid metabolism in glial cells, using a cultured rat glioma cell line, and in primary culture models for neonatal rat brain are being elucidated. The use of different preparations, e.g., whole animals, tissue slices from different brain areas, synaptosomes, synaptic membranes, primary tissue culture preparations, and embryonic chick retina facilitates an attempt to elucidate the alterations induced by these compounds in the disparate compartments of amino acid metabolism, i.e., glia, neurons and nerve endings. This work is being done no only to examine the actions of these compounds, but also to elaborate the probable interrelationships of nerve and glial cells in regulating transmitter amino acid metabolism as well as the interaction of metabolic inhibition and neurodegenerative processes. Current interest is highly focussed on the mechanism by which inhibition of glycolysis or electron transport appears to activate neurotoxic glutamate action. These studies with excitotoxins have broad implications in terms of various neurological disorders in which hyperexcitability or some kind of specific neurodegeneration occurs.