| title: | Platelet monoamine oxidase activity and other markers of monoaminergic systems in predicting impulsivity and risk-taking behaviour |
|---|---|
| reg no: | ETF5450 |
| project type: | Estonian Science Foundation research grant |
| subject: |
5. Social Sciences |
| status: | accepted |
| institution: | TU Faculty of Social Sciences |
| head of project: | Jaanus Harro |
| duration: | 01.01.2003 - 31.12.2006 |
| description: | This projects aims at capitalising on the methological basis and database established during the previous grant period (1999-2002) and on the additional databases to be formed in 2003-2006 in order to answer the following research questions: a) which are the risk-taking behaviours associated with low platelet MAO activity and which are not; b) whether platelet MAO activity is associated with one or several facets of impulsivity; c) whether higher than average platelet MAO is related to personality or behavioural choice-making, when the directly inhibitory effect of tobacco smoke on enzyme activity is under control; d) whether platelet MAO activity can be changing during lifetime; e) if yes, which changes in lifestyle are associated with such a change; f) and whether in such a case there is any corresponding change in personality; g) how big is the role of the intron 13 polymorphism in the transcription factor AP-2ß gene in the regulation of platelet MAO activity; h) which other transcription factors could be regulating platelet MAO activity; i) whether the neurotrophic factor BDNF in platelets is regulating platelet MAO activity; j) and whether BDNF could serve as the factor regulating the activity of serotonergic neurons; k) whether the exon 3 polymorphism in dopamine D4 receptor gene is associated with the individual variability of platelet MAO activity. Each part of this project will give a response to a basic question in biological psychology. Several graduate students will carry our research for their thesis within this framework. The new knowledge will contribute to the understanding of behavioural choice-making and the collective role of heredity and environment in this, thus suggesting novel ideas how to prevent hazardous behaviour. |
| project group | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| no | name | institution | position | |
| 1. | Marika Eller | University of Tartu | researcher | |
| 2. | Jaanus Harro | TU Faculty of Social Sciences | professor | |
| 3. | Evelyn Kiive | Tartu University | lecturer (0.5) | |