Centre for Neuroscience and Clinical Psychology

The Centre for Neuroscience and Clinical Psychology acts as a bridge from basic to clinical neuroscience and from experimental to clinical psychology. Examples of particular interest include, pain (the most common expression of physical disorder) investigated from receptors and sensory networks of the spinal cord through to clinical pain management; and sleep (the most common symptom of mental disorder), which can be studied from cAMP signaling, through circadian physiology, to clinical disorders of sleep. We also have interests in developmental pathways e.g. from normal social perception/ interaction to autism, schizophrenia and depression, and in comparisons of healthy and pathological ageing. Our ability to link molecular studies to brain imaging, clinical psychology and clinical neuroscience fosters the development and evaluation of novel pharmacological and behavioural treatments for common disorders such as schizophrenia and insomnia. CTR has specific translational facilities that include Psyring, the Glasgow Sleep Centre and Centre for Stroke (and Brain Imaging) Research that, together with the Centre for Molecular Pharmacology, formally link INP with the Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences.

Key strengths and areas of expertise:

• Multiple labelling immunocytochemical techniques for confocal and electron microscopy
• Mechanisms and modulation of synaptic signalling and plasticity
• Studies of neurotransmitter and receptor distribution in identified neuronal circuits
• Identification of neuronal circuits that underlie pain transmission, spinal reflexes and respiratory control
• Plasticity and regeneration following spinal cord injury
• Studies of neuro-immune system interactions
• Purine and protease modulation of neuronal function and plasticity
• Molecular mechanisms underlying neurological, neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders

Spinal Cord Research

• Pain, neurochemistry and synaptic connections of the dorsal horn - Prof. Andrew Todd
• Sensory and motor processing mechanisms, pain, plasticity and regeneration - Dr. John Riddell
• Synaptic transmission. Motor control mechanisms. Neuronal circuitry and pain - Prof. David Maxwell
• Fibrosis, cAMP and spinal cord repair process - Prof. Miles Houslay
• Spinal mechanisms involved in chronic pain – Dr David I. Hughes

Degeneration neural networks and plasticity

• Hippocampal network activity and synaptic plasticity. Rett's syndrome - Dr. Stuart Cobb
• Synaptic plasticity, neurodegeneration and neuroprotection - Prof. Trevor Stone
• The AS/AGU Rat, a Genetic model of Motor Disorder - Prof. Tony Payne
• Maturation and modulation of respiratory rhythm generation - Dr. Leanne McKay

Psychiatric disease

• Causes and treatment of Schizophrenia and other psychatric diseases - Prof. Brian Morris
• DISC1 interaction with PDE4 cAMP phosphodiesterases in Schizophrenia - Prof. Miles Houslay
• Serotonin/Glutamate Receptor complexes in Schizophrenia - Prof. Graeme Milligan