National Institute of Mental Health funds new research in UF’s College of Pharmacy

The National Institute of Mental Health has committed nearly $1 million to research at the University of Florida aimed at developing new treatments for disorders of the central nervous system.

Laszlo Prokai, associate professor in UF’s Center for Drug Discovery, is investigating a peptide in the brain known as thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH). Traditionally known for its role relating to the thyroid gland and certain reproductive functions, TRH also has been found to have positive effects on a variety of brain disorders, including depression and motor dysfunction resulting from spinal cord injury.

Prokai has been awarded $954,398 for a four-year study of TRH, including the development of new TRH-based compounds that could potentially be used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy and other brain disorders.

According to Prokai, the use of TRH as a therapeutic agent has been limited due to several factors. The peptide is not able to pass unassisted through the brain’s protective barrier, and it is rapidly degraded in the body by other naturally occurring enzymes. If higher doses are administered to overcome these obstacles, the patient could suffer significant side effects due to over stimulation of the endocrine system.

UF’s Center for Drug Discovery pioneered the targeting of peptides to the brain and has a long-running research program in this area. Prokai’s project is aimed at developing new TRH-based compounds capable of safely penetrating the blood-brain barrier without producing negative side effects.

A member of the UF Brain Institute, Prokai also will be developing studies aimed at understanding how TRH and TRH-related compounds work in the central nervous system.