• studies on central effects of stimulation/antagonism of metabotropic glutamate receptors;
• studies on the mechanism of action of antidepressant drugs at the receptor and postreceptor level, including second messengers and protein kinases;
• studies on the appearance and function of neuropeptide Y (NPY) and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) in brain structures;
• interaction between NPY or CRF and catecholamines or excitatory amino acids in the cortex, amygdala or hippocampus;
• the role of monoamines in the regulation of NPY or CRF expression in the cortex, amygdala or hippocampus;
• studies on the role of NPY or CRF in the anxiolytic/anxiogenic action of glutamatergic ligands;
• studies on the neuroprotective role of NPY and metabotropic glutamate receptor ligands in vitro and in vivo;
• the role of interaction between metal ions (Zn, Mg) and neurotransmission in the pathophysiology and treatment of affective disorders (animal and human studies).

Behavioural:
- simple behavioral tests for the evaluation of the antidepressant or anxiolytic effects of drugs (Porsolt's test; tail suspension test; olfactory bulbectomy; passive avoidance test; open field test; plus-maze test; locomotor activity); stereological injections of substances into the brain structures.

Biochemical:
- receptor binding assay;
- receptor autoradiography;
- assessment of second messengers: cyclic AMP and inositol phosphates;
- assessment of nitric oxide activity;
- assay of protein kinases including PKA, PKC and CamKII;
- the Western blot analysis of protein expression in brain structures.

Tissue cell culture:
- cultures of astrocytes and neurons; measurements of cell death and viability (LDH and caspase-3).

Morphological analysis:
- immunohistochemistry;
- in situ hybridization;
- stereological counting of neurons;
- histology.

The Department cooperates with:

the Department of Biology, University of Padova (Italy)

- studies on the action of metal ions in the brain;

the Department of Psychiatry, Mississippi University, Jackson (USA)

- examination of the glutamatergic ligands;

the Novartis Pharma, Basel (Switzerland); DOV Pharmaceuticals, New Jersey (USA)

- studies on the role of metabotropic receptors in the brain.

PhD Students:

Engineers, Technicians, and Other Employees: