Magda S. Santos, Ph.D.

Research

The competence of the central nervous system to adjust to environmental and physiological changes depends upon the right balance between excitation and inhibition provided by the neurotransmitters present in the brain. For example, lack, excess or inconsistency of GABA-mediated signaling will lead to faulty communication and disturbances in the CNS. In fact, it is known that alterations of GABA neurotransmission play a crucial role in the pathophysiology of a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders, such as mood disorders, autism, schizophrenia, Huntington�s disease, Parkinson�s disease, and epilepsy. My current work has focused on the presynaptic mechanisms that may cause or contribute to the dysregulation of the GABAergic system. This system could be an important screening tool for the generation of new therapies to normalize synaptic transmission and behavior by altering the balance of glutamate and GABA release in specific brain circuits.