Welcome

Outstanding scientists illustrate at our symposium in Martinsried on 13th and 14th March 2017 how far research has come in the past 100 years. We are looking forward to lectures by the following speakers: Richard Axel • Cori Bargmann • Karl Deisseroth • Tom Island • Reinhard Jahn • May-Brittmoser • Huda Zoghbi [more]

Cannabinoid drugs (e.g. the active principle of the plant cannabis, 9-tetrahydrocannabinol, THC) exert several effects on the brain via the activation of the G protein-coupled type-1 cannabinoid receptors (CB1). On the other hand, CB1 receptors are part of a physiological system (the endocannabinoid system, or ECS), through which the particular endogenous signaling molecules (the endocannabinoids) control a plethora of brain functions. The effects of exogenous cannabinoids and the physiological roles of the ECS are only partially overlapping. This is likely due to the fact that the ECS has patterns of activation that are extremely regulated in time and space, features that are obviously overcome by massive stimulation of CB1 receptors by exogenous drugs. [more]

Endocannabinoids have been well established as regulators of the neurobehavioral response to stress. This talk will focus on highlighting the neural circuits and mechanisms by which endocannabinoids have been found to modulate both neuroendocrine and behavioral responses to stress, with an emphasis on translational implications of these findings to human populations afflicted with stress-related neuropsychiatric conditions, particularly anxiety disorders and PTSD. [more]

Chronic stress plays a crucial role in the development of psychiatric diseases, such as anxiety and depression. Dysfunction of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) has been linked to the cognitive and emotional deficits induced by stress. However, little is known about the molecular and cellular determinants in mPFC leading to stress-associated mental disorders. Here we show that chronic restraint stress induces the selective loss of p11 (also known as annexin II light chain, S100A10), a multifunctional protein which binds to 5-HT receptors, in layer II/III neurons of the prelimbic cortex (PrL), as well as depression-like behaviors, both of which are reversed by selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and the tricyclic class of antidepressant (TCA) agents. [more]