Research

Research in the Pediatric Neurology Unit includes neurovirology, neurotoxicology, neurophysiology of motor control and movement disorders, neurodegenerative disorders, clinical trials and genetics. Our goals are to understand molecular, cellular, and neural systems mechanisms underlying neurological and developmental disorders of children and adults.

Goals are to understand molecular, cellular, and neural systems mechanisms underlying neurological and developmental disorders of children and adults. Further goals are to understand the clinical characteristics, response to treatment, and public health aspects of complex neurological disorders of children and adults.

The roles of Platelet Activating Factor (PAF)

A mediator of inflammation, on synaptic plasticity during Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection. Development of novel biotechnology to study synaptic plasticity. Neural-immune signaling during synaptic inflammation. Molecular pathogenesis of astrocyte-neuronal signaling and identification of molecular targets for neuroprotection in HIV infection for a unique NIH-funded bench-to-bedside program project. (Gelbard)

Neurophysiology of the basal ganglia in motor control

Quantitative analysis of kinematics and muscle patterns in movement disorders such as dystonia, chorea, and cerebral palsy. Clinical research in Tourette Syndrome, cerebral palsy, and Batten Disease. (Vermilion)

The Seychelles Child Development Study (SCDS)

Examining the relationship between maternal nutrition, methyl mercury (MeHg) exposure from fish consumption and the motor, cognitive and general neurodevelopment of the child. The current RO1 is to evaluate the 700 main cohort subjects twice at 15 and 17 years of age. The test battery will examine cognitive, motor and executive functions. The second evaluation at age 19 years is evaluating cardiac autonomic function, auditory function, and motor skills. We are also examining the inter relationship of exposure to inorganic Hg (dental amalgams) and MeHg in a separate cohort of 250 children and doing a survey of autism phenotypes in a cohort of 4,000 subjects for whom we have prenatal MeHg exposure (Myers)

Investigate neurobehavioral and neurocognitive phenotypes of pediatric neurologic diseases, and neuropsychological interventions, with emphases on

1. Educational intervention for pediatric mild traumatic brain injury
2. Batten Disease, including natural history studies of neurocognitive and behavioral phenotype, and studies of quality of life
3. Collaborate or support studies of neurocognitive function in other diseases including pediatric HIV / AIDS, hypertension & kidney disease, pediatric cancer late effects. (Adams)