The involvement of pedunculopontine and laterodorsal tegmental nuclei in sleep and respiratory alterations observed in murine model of Parkinsons Disease

• Grant number: 21/05647-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: January 01, 2023
• End date: September 25, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Physiology - Physiology of Organs and Systems
• Principal Investigator: Ana Carolina Takakura Moreira
• Grantee: Nicole Castro de Souza Miranda
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that is associated with the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra compacta (SNpc) leading to a reduction of dopamine in the nigrostriatal pathway. The motor symptoms are characterized by tremor and bradykinesia while the non-classic symptoms include cognitive deficits, sleep disorders, sensorial dysfunction and breathing disorders, which can affect patients in advanced stages of the disease.Studies from our laboratory demonstrated that in the experimental model of PD induced by 6-hydroxydopamine injections in the striatum can damage important regions in the brainstem responsible for breathing generation and/or modulation.Because of that, neurological disorders and the consequences for breathing are under investigation in our laboratory. Also, sleep disorders in a PD animal model could also be correlated to respiratory impairment. The main aim of this project will be to investigate the role of pedunculopontine (PPTg) and laterodorsal tegmental (LDTg) nuclei for breathing control and sleep regulation in a PD animal model. (AU)