Bridging Disciplines in the Brain, Behavioral, and Clinical Sciences (2000) / Chapter Skim
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2 The Potential of Interdisciplinary Research to Solve Problems in the Brain, Behavioral, and Clinical Sciences
2 The Potential of Interdisciplinary Research to Solve Problems in the Brain, Behavioral, and Clinical Sciences
Pages 23-40
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From page 23... ...
Single disciplines enable in-depth and technically adroit approaches to complex problems. As described in chapter 3, the constraints of training and getting started in a career make single disciplinary research the preferred route for many young investigators.
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In 1960 the International Brain Research Organization was founded to promote cooperation among the world's scientific resources for research on the brain.4~ In 1969, the Society for Neuroscience was founded to bring together those studying brain and behavior into a single organization, its membership has grown from 1000 in 1970 to over 25,000 in 2000.86 Within the new discipline, neuroscientists are integrating a variety of perspectives to gain insights into fundamental questions about the nervous system in health and disease. Neuroscience is a clear example of a discipline of today arising from interdisciplinary approaches of the past.
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From page 25... ...
Having evolved from independent, single disciplinary efforts, the Human Genome Project has expanded into a prime example of interdisciplinary research, involving scientists in a variety of disciplines, such as biology, chemistry, genetics, physics, mathematics, and computer science. The enormous data management problems arising from the wealth of information generated in genomic analyses require new and more powerful computational methods.
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On his return to his laboratory, Pauling and a young colleague, Harvey Itano, attempted to distinguish normal hemoglobin from sickle cell hemoglobin by using a variety of physical and chemical methods. With a new electrophoresis technique, they found a difference in mobility suggesting that the two forms of hemoglobin had different electrical charges.89 The results were published in a Science paper titled, "Sickle Cell Anemia, a Molecular Disease."72 The paper reasoned that genetic control of the amino acid composition of hemoglobin was responsible for the hereditary nature of the disease.
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From page 27... ...
Although HM does not recall having met a visitor or recall the process of learning a task like mirror writing, he can improve his skill at mirror writing at a normal rate and even retain the skill for weeks.29 Clinical observations of memory loss continue to stimulate the basic animal research efforts with clinically relevant questions.87 The advent of new imaging technologies, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging, and new noninvasive recording methods, such as magnetoencephalography, continue to enhance the interactions between clinical and basic research. 28 87 INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH: MAKING PROGRESS Several interdisciplinary programs have been running long enough to demonstrate the added value of interactive efforts.
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In addition, personality traits, exposure to stress, socioeconomic status, and social support have been found to influence the risk of cardiovascular disease. Extensive research collaborations among experts in many fields including psychologists, neurobiologists, cardiologists, and comparative pathologists provided evidence that stress, anger, and lifestyle influence the pathophysiology of coronary heart disease.4346 Large interdisciplinary clinical trials are in progress to determine whether psychosocial interventions can reduce morbidity and mortality in heart diseases.~084 Continued interdisciplinary research is likely to produce new advances in the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease.
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From page 29... ...
to look at blood flow and magnetic resonance imaging to look at structures, genetic analyses, cognitive testing, and clinical trials of pharmaceutical agents to evaluate patients with schizophrenia is allowing progress toward the development of interventions for the disease.4 Continued interdisciplinary efforts in schizophrenia research including epidemiology, genetics, structural brain abnormalities, development, behavior, and virology should advance the understanding and treatment of the disease. INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH: FUTURE DIRECTIONS Major advances in human health are increasingly contingent on interdisciplinary research that requires close collaboration between biomedical and behavioral scientists.
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They continue to be the cause of many deaths and serious disabilities throughout life, although other causes (e.g., heart disease, cancer, stroke) become more common in later life.~3 ~4 Many injuries that do not cause death result in lifelong serious disabilities, such as spinal cord paraplegia and quadriplegic.
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EFFECTIVE FUNDING INITIATIVES IN INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH Many interdisciplinary efforts arise out of serendipity, but many arise out of need and the ripeness of research problems. Targeted programs in interdisciplinary research have yielded valuable knowledge and clinical results.
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Among the advances arising from the centers is delineation of the neuropathological changes, including the deposition of senile plaques, the development of neurofibrillary tangles, and the loss of neurons from critical brain regions.~7336~82~02 Discovery of the alleles of apolipoprotein E revealed an important risk factor for Alzheimer's diseased 38487477 80909~ With the development of transgenic mice that express some of the neuropathological changes of Alzheimer's disease, an animal model is available to further the understanding of the basic biology of the disease and to test promising therapies.30 Those advances are leading to medications to improve cognition and others that might even prevent symptoms.79
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From page 33... ...
The effort led to substantial advances in understanding of biochemical processes in the human brain in health and disease. The studies included examination of regional cerebral blood flow, glucose metabolism, oxygen metabolism, and localization and concentration of biochemical substances, such as dopamine receptors, gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors, and opiate receptors.97 The PET centers also advanced understanding of numerous neurological disorders, including stroke, epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple system atrophy, and alcoholism, to name just a few l,3,27,3l,32,37,42,54,57,96 Cognitive psychology was advanced by combining psychological activation of the resting brain with PET studies of cerebral blood flow as a marker of changes in metabolic rate of the relevant brain regions (for a review, see Sergent 199483~.
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Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 94: 1612-1614.
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Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 96:7627-7630.
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1994. Patterns of cerebral glucose metabolism detected with positron emission tomography differ in multiple system atrophy and olivopontocerebellar atrophy.
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Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 95:3215-3220.
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1949. Sickle cell anemia, a molecular disease.
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Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 90:9649-9653.
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1995. Neurologic complications after allogeneic marrow transplantation for sickle cell anemia.
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