Effects of Adolescent Binge Drinking on Brain Development

by: Michael Saunders

The National Institutes of Health, also referred to as NIH, is an agency that is operating under the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

The NIH is primarily responsible for ensuring all of the country's biomedical and health-related research studies. The attempts of the NIH are always geared towards the attainment of their mission, which is to "seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce the burdens of illness and disability."

In line with this mission, the National Institutes of Health, in close cooperation with the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) has established the Effects of Adolescent Binge Drinking on Brain Development Project.

The Effects of Adolescent Binge Drinking on Brain Development Project intends to determine the effects of adolescent binge drinking on the synaptic maturation and myelin formation in the a person's developing brain.

The NIH and NIAAA plans to achieve this by soliciting exploratory or developmental research grant proposals that would potentially help in identifying the long-term consequences of adolescent binge drinking in the maturation of brain structure and its functions.

In addition, the NIH and NIAAA will utilize this research studies on animal models in order to unravel the underlying effects of excessive alcohol consumption on genetic, molecular and cellular mechanisms.

The scope of the study will include, but is not necessarily limited to:

1) The anatomical or functional studies on cortical synapse pruning or refinement in models of adolescent binge drinking.

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Effects of Adolescent Binge Drinking on Brain Development
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About The Author Michael Saunders is an editor of TopGovernmentGrants.com one the the most comprehensive Websites offering information on government grants and federal government programs. He also maintains Websites providing resources on environmental grants and grants for youth programs.

Additional Resources

category - Health Grants

Nutrition Obesity Research Centers Grant Program
In an attempt to support this mission, the National Institutes of Health has formed a partnership with the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) to establish the Nutrition Obesity Research Centers Grant Program wherein both agencies intend to solicit grant applications that wish to establish core centers which will be an essential part of an integrated program of nutrition and obesity research.

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Lifespan Respite Care Program - Technical Assistance Resource Center
In keeping with this mission, the Administration on Aging has recently announced the constitution of the Lifespan Respite Care Program - Technical Assistance Resource Center wherein it aims to invite applications for a competitive grant opportunity for implementing the requirements of the Technical Assistance Resource Center (TARC) as authorized in the Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2006.

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Telehealth Resource Center Grant Program
The Health Resources and Services Administration has recently constituted the establishment of the Telehealth Resource Center Grant Program, also referred to as the TRCGP.

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Government Grants Within The United States Health Sector
The health care system in the US is as diverse as it is all-encompassing. A huge number of health care facilities are now owned by private sectors while a huge chunk of health insurance plans are primarily provided by the government in the public sector.

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