National Institute of Mental Health 5R01MH130839-05

Investigating Syngap1 as a regulator of striatal synaptic function

NIH funded research project at University of California Berkeley to study the role of Syngap1 in striatal synaptic function and behavior related to neurodevelopmental disorders.

Description

This research uses mouse models to investigate how mutations in Syngap1 affect communication between brain cells responsible for learning and action selection. The findings aim to advance understanding of the cellular and circuit basis of SYNGAP1 disorders and improve therapeutic options. The project will elucidate the effects of SynGAP loss on striatal synaptic function and determine if loss in striatal neurons causes behavioral changes relevant to SYNGAP1 disorder. It will assess how SynGAP impacts synaptic development, transmission, and plasticity, and investigate how deficiency affects spine formation and morphology. The study will also explore behavioral effects of Syngap1 haploinsufficiency and test whether restoring Syngap1 expression in striatal neurons can improve synaptic and behavioral abnormalities.

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