Neurotoxin Exposure Treatment Research Program 2006

The summary for the Neurotoxin Exposure Treatment Research Program 2006 grant is detailed below. This summary states who is eligible for the grant, how much grant money will be awarded, current and past deadlines, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) numbers, and a sampling of similar government grants. Verify the accuracy of the data FederalGrants.com provides by visiting the webpage noted in the Link to Full Announcement section or by contacting the appropriate person listed as the Grant Announcement Contact. If any section is incomplete, please visit the website for the Dept of the Army USAMRAA, which is the U.S. government agency offering this grant.

Neurotoxin Exposure Treatment Research Program 2006: Neurotoxin Exposure Treatment Research Program - The U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command is soliciting research proposals for studies on the pathophysiology, surrogate markers, mechanisms and treatment of Parkinson's disease and Parkinson's-related neurodegenerative conditions to include initiating causes, interaction of environmental and genetic risk factors, epigenetic modifying factors, with emphasis on exposure factors encountered in military operations which may be neurotoxic or lead to neurodegenerative conditions. An improved understanding of the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases, emphasizing mechanisms underlying symptomology, generates advances in treatment interventions for Parkinson's disease and creates a basis for preventive measures against the risks of military operational hazards and military threat agents. We solicit proposals on a wide range of basic and applied science, including but not limited to these specific areas of interest: * Determination of normal physiologic function of alpha-synuclein and alterations of alpha-synuclein function in the progression of Parkinson's disease. * Determination of mechanisms of integration of proteasomal, mitochondrial, synaptic and nuclear function in normal dopaminergic function. * Determination of non-motor symptoms associated with PD and development of criteria for standardized diagnosis. * Development of sensitive, cost-effective biomarker(s) for diagnosing PD (including during the pre-symptomatic phase) and evaluating progression. * Quantification of dose/type relationship of exercise(s) and neuroprotective effect * Determination of environmental influences modulating mitochondrial or other cellular organelle function and specific environmental influences resulting in long-lasting or permanent dopaminergic dysfunction in PD. * Clarification of neuronal/ glial interaction in Parkinson's disease, in relation to: (a) disease initiation and progression; (b) the inflammatory response on both cell types; (c) environmental and occupational exposures that affect intracellular organelle structure and function (e.g. protein trafficking, mitochondrial structure and energy production); (d) brain regional differences with respect to relative susceptibilities, and thresholds of impact that increase probability of development of Parkinsonism, as they relate to glia-mediated inflammatory responses. * Development of methodology to test the Braak hypothesis of anatomical progression of PD and development of disease models specific for the various hypothesized initiating causes of PD * Presynaptic/post synaptic model development of normal and abnormal dopaminergic function. * Determination of mechanisms of epigenetic modification that are responsive to environmental exposures and result in prolonged or permanent alteration of neurotransmitter function. * Clarification of mechanisms of tremor development in Parkinson's disease and identification and validation of specific therapeutic strategies based on identified mechanisms. * Development or improvement of non-dopaminergic therapies for PD. (This could include exercise, DBS, TMS, non-dopaminergic drugs, targets other than basal ganglia Proposals will be selected from those submitted in response to this announcement and proposals that address the stated topics that were submitted in response to the USAMRMC BAA 05-1. Selections will be based on scientific quality/merit, assessed under peer review and military relevance. Projects are typically 2-4 years in duration and must be completed by 30 Sep 2011. Program projects will not be considered. No proposals will be funded that are dependent upon completion of an interagency agreement. Preference will be given to