The Center for Neurosciences Research

Located at Allegheny General Hospital, The Center for Neurosciences Research currently sponsors research programs in:

• male-female differences in the function of neurotransmitters in the brain; and
• studies of endocrine function in patients with major depression.

The prinicipal investigator of these programs is Robert T. Rubin, M.D., Ph.D. Both human and laboratory animal investigations are being conducted, supported by a long-standing research grant from the National Institute of Mental Health. Recent studies have focused on the brain neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, which may be overactive in major depression and, conversely, may be deficient in Alzheimer's disease. The pituitary-adrenal neuroendocrine axis also may be function abnormally in both these illnesses, and this endocrine axis is influenced by acetylcholine function in the brain.

The human studies have shown that normal men have a greater acetylcholine influence on pituitary-adrenal function than do normal women. However, the situation is reversed in patients with major depression, depressed women having greater sensitivity to acetylcholine than depressed men. This may have a bearing on the more frequent occurrence of major depression in women than in men. In the animal studies, male laboratory rats also have a greater acetylcholine influence on pituitary-adrenal function than do female laboratory rats. Drug studies in these animals are shedding light on possible mechanisms of the action of acetylcholine on pituitary-adrenal function, and these studies are providing avenues for further exploration in humans.

 Volunteers are currently being recruited for this study. For more information select the appropriate advertisement below:

• Healthy volunteers
• Individuals experiencing symptoms of depression

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