Grant: Project Grant

Improper blood flow in the brain impairs neural activity, physical movement and cognitive ability, and these effects can occur at any age. Critical cellular events within the blood vessel wall control blood flow within the brain and we have identified a novel genetic defect in a protein that disrupts this control. The protein plays an important role in the movement of calcium within cells of the blood vessel wall. The goals of our research will be to understand exactly how this defect observed in patients impairs blood vessel function within the brain, and identify new strategies that minimize its negative impact on cerebral blood flow and brain activity. To do so, we have created genetically modified mice that exhibit defects in this key protein similar to those found in patients, allowing us to study its impact on cerebral blood flow, brain function and whole animal behavior. These studies will thus provide new information on blood vessel function and how to manipulate these vessels in patients to maintain normal blood flow and brain activity.