September 26, 2007

Wayne State assistant professor receives $1.46 million grant for protecting brain health

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Dr. Scott Moffat

DETROIT— Dr. Scott Moffat, assistant professor at Wayne State University\'s Institute of Gerontology and the Department of Psychology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, will be continuing his efforts to understand the many complex elements of the mind. With help from the National Institutes of Health\'s National Institute on Aging (NIA), which previously funded Moffat for his research on testosterone\'s effect on the human brain, Dr. Moffat has again been awarded a large grant for his new research on cortisol, another hormone thought to influence the brain\'s health and functions.

A key to understanding aging lies in explaining why some people age better than others and Moffat’s earlier work has revealed that testosterone may aid an aging brain’s well-being. Now Moffat, of Van Buren Twp., Michigan, is interested in understanding how some hormones may negatively affect people’s brain functions, and the stress hormone cortisol is on his radar. High levels of cortisol—a hormone produced by the adrenal gland—has been found in animals to be associated with poor cognitive abilities. “Cortisol attacks certain brain regions and causes some atrophy and loss of brain function,” said Moffat. “In humans, we think that exposure to stress and high levels of cortisol may cause memory loss and ultimately increase the risk for dementia.”

“Dr. Moffat’s continued research in this area is critical for understanding the conditions under which cognition deteriorates, especially in the cases of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia,” said Dr. Hilary Ratner, Vice President for Research at Wayne State. “These diseases devastate the lives of so many, and Dr. Moffat’s innovative work will contribute significantly to finally reaching a solution.”

Wayne State University is one of the nation’s pre-eminent public research universities in an urban setting. Through its multidisciplinary approach to research and education, and its ongoing collaboration with government, industry and other institutions, the university seeks to enhance economic growth and improve the quality of life in the city of Detroit, state of Michigan and throughout the world.

Contact

Julie O'Connor
Phone: 313-577-8845
Email: julie.oconnor@wayne.edu

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