Learning disabilities

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=12.5% BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" width="100%" style=" border-top: 26px solid #FFFFFF; border-left: 63px solid #FFFFFF;border-right: 63px solid #FFFFFF;" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="1" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="785" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#808080" BORDERCOLORDARK="#FFFFFF" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#DDDDDD HEIGHT= 76 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Silvalab"><B><IMG SRC="14860c470.png" border=0 width="780" height="71" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#BBBBBB HEIGHT= 30 ><NOBR><div> <B> </B><A HREF="projects.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Projects "><B><IMG SRC="147e61190.png" border=0 width="97" height="25" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A><A HREF="approaches.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Approaches"><B><IMG SRC="147f61190.png" border=0 width="97" height="25" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A><A HREF="publications.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Publications"><B><IMG SRC="148061190.png" border=0 width="97" height="25" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A><A HREF="personnel.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Lab Members"><B><IMG SRC="148161190.png" border=0 width="97" height="25" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A><A HREF="alcino.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Alcino J. Silva"><B><IMG SRC="148261190.png" border=0 width="97" height="25" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A><A HREF="funding.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Awards"><B><IMG SRC="148361190.png" border=0 width="97" height="25" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A><A HREF="positions.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Open Positions"><B><IMG SRC="148461190.png" border=0 width="97" height="25" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A><A HREF="aboutus.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="aboutus"><B><IMG SRC="148561190.png" border=0 width="97" height="25" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#6666CC HEIGHT= 20 WIDTH="781"><div>        <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Silvalab"><B>Home</B></A></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="1" CELLPADDING="4" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="785" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#330000" BORDERCOLORDARK="#FFFFFF" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#EEEEEE > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFFFFF HEIGHT= 737 WIDTH="773"><div> <B><IMG SRC="1050b1d00.jpg" border=0 width="177" height="208" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> Learning disabilities</div> <div> <B>Learning disabilities affect 1 in 5 people world-wide, but to date there are no treatments. To uncover the causes and develop treatments for this cluster of disorders we started by studying single gene inherited conditions associated with learning disabilities and mental retardation, including Neurofibromatosis type I, Fragile X, Down syndrome,Tuberous Sclerosis, and Nooman's Syndrome. For example, specific learning disabilities are the most common neurological complication of children with Neurofibromatosis type I (NF1). The inherent complexity of these cognitive deficits, and the complications of pursuing their study in patients, motivated us to study them in mouse models for these single gene disorders causing learning disabilities.  We have showed that mice mutant for the NF1 gene have very specific learning deficits with striking similarities to the deficits of children with NF1.  Our biological studies of mice with NF1 have yielded a treatment for the learning deficits in mice, and we have initiated the complex process of determining whether the same approach can cure the learning deficits of patients with NF1. </B></div> <div> <B>Similarly, we have also studied the learning deficits associated with Tuberous Sclerosis (TSC). Recently, we have shown that an FDA approved drug (rapamycin) can reverse the molecular, physiology and learning deficits of an animal model of TSC. We are currently involved in a collaborative study to determine whetehr rapamycin is also effective in reversing the cognitive phenotypes associated with TSC.</B></div> <bR> <bR> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#CCCCFF HEIGHT= 74 WIDTH="773"><div> <A HREF="nf1.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Neurofibromatosis Type I"><B>More information about our NF1 work </B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="tsc.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="TSC"><B>More information about our  TSC work  </B></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 184 WIDTH="773"><bR> <bR> <div> For descriptions of our other projects click on one of the links below...</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="aging.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Aging and Cognition">Aging and Cognition</A>   ·   <A HREF="camkii.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="CaMKII and Learning">CaMKII and Learning</A>   ·   <A HREF="enhancements.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Cognitive enhancements">Cognitive enhancements</A>   ·   <A HREF="cortical.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Cortical memories">Cortical memories</A>   ·   <A HREF="recovery.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Enhancing plasticity and recovery">Enhancing plasticity and recovery</A>   ·   <B>Learning disabilities</B>   ·   <A HREF="allocation.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Memory Allocation">Memory Allocation</A>   ·   <A HREF="genes.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Novel memory genes">Novel memory genes</A>   ·   <A HREF="schizophrenia.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Schizophrenia">Schizophrenia</A>   ·   <A HREF="s2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Science of Science">Science of Science</A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFFFFF HEIGHT= 162 WIDTH="773"><bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="projects.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Projects ">Projects </A>   ·   <A HREF="approaches.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Approaches">Approaches</A>   ·   <A HREF="publications.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Publications">Publications</A>   ·   <A HREF="personnel.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Lab Members">Lab Members</A>   ·   <A HREF="alcino.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Alcino J. 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