Many disorders where attentional problems are a hallmark, such as Alzheimer's disease and
schizophrenia, display abnormal regulation of the so-called default network of resting brain
function that maintains internally directed thought when the mind is free to wander. There is
indication that nicotine may improve attention by aiding the deactivation of the default
network, and this mechanism may be of therapeutic benefit for the above disease states. The
current project aims at providing a proof of concept by demonstrating that nicotinic drugs
modulate default network function. The nicotinic agonist nicotine is hypothesized to improve
attention by facilitating the down-regulation of default network activity, and the nicotinic
antagonist mecamylamine is hypothesized to impair attention by impeding the down-regulation
of default network activity during attentional task performance.
Phase:
N/A
Details
Lead Sponsor:
University of Maryland University of Maryland, Baltimore