Lieber Institute for Brain Development

Easier said than done, right?!

For people living with conditions like ADHD, schizophrenia, and depression, maintaining attention can be one of the biggest daily challenges. But what if scientists could identify the exact brain circuits responsible for helping us stay focused?

That's exactly what our researchers set out to investigate.

In a recent study, scientists discovered a specific communication pathway in the brain that plays an important role in sustained attention. By activating that pathway, they were able to improve focus without simply making the brain more reactive. Understanding how attention works at the cellular level helps researchers identify new targets for future medications with greater precision and fewer unwanted side effects.

The better we understand how the brain controls attention, the better equipped we'll be to design treatments that work with the brain instead of simply trying to compensate for it. You can read more about our work by going to our website at libd.org.

Summer interns are a great way to bring newfound curiosity and excitement into the lab. These six talented individuals are proof that our work doesn't end when we do. It lives on in the next generation of scientists.

Show our talented interns some appreciation in the comments! They provide incredible support to our research teams and ongoing projects!

Dr. Greg Carr, a Lead Investigator in our Drug Discovery and Development Group, recently presented at the Symposium on Schizophrenia hosted by the Lauren Marie LeVert Foundation to Cure Schizophrenia. He had the opportunity to share the mission of our work and how we are using cutting edge technology to change how schizophrenia is understood and treated. He stood along other speakers such as Patrick J. Kennedy, Dr. Molly Erickson from The University of Chicago, and Dr. Brad Cutler with Endeavor Health. The symposium represents a powerful shift that is being led by the scientific and mental health communities. Rather than allowing people with schizophrenia to suffer in shame, we are using research to change how we understand and approach this complicated illness.

Dr. Carr's presentation gave a small glimpse into some of the work we have been doing. You can see his speech, along with the other presentations, here: https://www.lmlf2cs.org/symposium