Mechanisms of regulation of cerebral blood
flow & metabolism
Richard J. Traystman, Ph.D. ­– Program Director

This is a Program Project Grant and its overall goal is to define mechanisms of neuronal injury following focal and global ischemia in adult and pediatric animals.  The program represents a multidisciplinary mechanistic approach involving interactive investigators with complimentary areas of expertise who have been long committed to studies of the cerebral circulation and ischemia.  One major aim will be to integrate the activities of various disciplines such that the interrelationships will result in a greater scientific contribution than could be achieved if each project were pursued individually.  The major theme of this program is that state-of-the-art molecular, genetic, cellular, neuropathological, physiological and neurobehavioral approaches are used to examine the mechanisms of neuronal injury and neuroprotection from stroke and cardiac arrest/CPR.  We determine the neuroprotective mechanisms associated with sigma receptor signaling, sex hormones, nitric oxide, antioxidants and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase.  The program consists of four major projects:  1) sigma receptor signaling in focal cerebral ischemia; 2) gender differences in stroke; 3) PARP in cardiac arrest/CPR; and 4) mechanisms of brain injury after cardiac arrest/CPR in the newborn.

This research is funded by the National Institutes of Health.