Clinical Neuroscience Centers Program

Overview

This program supports translational research centers that seek to promote bi-directional scientific translation from the bench to bedside and back; it aims to promote novel scientific discovery and cross-pollination of ideas and disciplines through a program of centers, each of which has a narrow, mechanistic, hypothesis-driven focus and consists of a series of multidisciplinary, interdependent projects seeking to elucidate the etiology, pathophysiology, and pathogenesis of a major mental disorder(s). The feasibility of establishing a network of these centers — to accelerate the pace of discovery — is currently being evaluated.

Areas of Emphasis

• Identification of valid and unique neurophysiological markers or complex(es) of markers for the major mental and personality disorders.
• Development of animal and/or computational models that accurately mimic complex neurophysiology or behaviors characteristic of mental illness.
• Comparisons between CNS characteristics of mental disorders and "other" brain disorders sharing specific abnormal behaviors or symptoms.
• Examination of how complex interactions between neural signaling systems may readjust behavior from functional to dysfunctional.
• Promotion of the application of exploratory but potentially relevant neuroscience areas to the study of mental disorders.

Contact

Steven J. Zalcman, M.D.
Program Chief
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 7121, MSC 9639
301-443-1692, szalcman@mail.nih.gov