SABITALKS / Neuroanatomical Networks of the Aversive Signaling Hub and the Potential Treatment of Insomnia by Modulating the Adenosine System
Dr. Mustafa Korkutata from Harvard Medical School is going to be at SABITALKS on August 20, 2025 at 14:00. The event will take place in person.
Location: Istanbul Medipol University North Campus / C Block, C-Z09
https://goo.gl/maps/JDDjygVtFLWiPiMJA
*Participants from outside SABITA must fill in the participation form.
Neuroanatomical Networks of the Aversive Signaling Hub and the Potential Treatment of Insomnia by Modulating the Adenosine System
The parabrachial nucleus (PB), located in the dorsolateral pons, relays sensory information (visceral malaise, taste, temperature, pain, itch) to forebrain structures including the thalamus, hypothalamus, and extended amygdala. Within the external lateral subnucleus of the PB, neurons expressing Calca—which encodes calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)—are especially important for mediating responses to a variety of threatening stimuli, including pain, nausea, and hypercarbia, and for driving appropriate behavioral responses via projections to the forebrain and brainstem. Recent studies have revealed that CGRP-expressing neurons in the PB play a significant role in micro-arousals during sleep apnea. However, the connections between this cluster of cells and other neurons have not been fully elucidated. In this talk, studies aimed at identifying these connections will be presented. Additionally, potential treatments for insomnia via modulation of the adenosine system will be discussed.
Dr. Mustafa Korkutata pursued studies in physics engineering, genetics, bioengineering, and molecular biology during his undergraduate education. After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, Molecular Biology, and Genetics, he moved to Japan, where he conducted his doctoral studies on a full scholarship at the University of Tsukuba in Tsukuba Science City.
At the University of Tsukuba’s affiliated International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), He investigated the development of a new class of sleeping pills by modulating the adenosine system and explored the regulation of sleep-wake cycles. His doctoral thesis was highlighted by prominent global science media outlets such as ScienceDaily and EurekAlert.
He is currently a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Neurology, Division of Sleep Medicine, at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and Harvard Medical School. In his postdoctoral studies, he focuses on the neuroanatomical networks of the sleep-wake system and related sleep disorders.