A functional dissection of human nicotinic receptor polymorphisms linked to
addiction and schizophrenia
In the ERA-NET NEURON awarded research project iPS&BRAIN, Huib Mansvelder (CNCR, VU) collaborates with researchers at the Pasteur Institute in Paris and the Medical University of Vienna. The consortium aims to elucidate mechanisms of nicotine addiction and schizophrenia. In both disorders, genetic variants of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors are involved that increase the disposition for both addiction as well as schizophrenia, but we do not understand how. The nicotinic receptors are involved in neuronal communication in our brain, but the role of the genetic variants is unclear. In addition to fundamental studies to investigate the communication between neurons based on these genetic variants, the consortium will use iPSCs derived from patient cells to test potential therapeutic strategies.
The total budget of the consortium is about 1 million Euro of which 250 kEuro will be provided by NWO to Huib’s lab