Neurobiology Research Unit

Morten Skøtt Thomsen

MSc in Human Biology, PhD

Scientific interests| Biography | Publications
Awards | Address

Scientific interests

Schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are serious and debilitating diseases that are characterized by impairments of cognitive function. Unfortunately, the currently available medication has a very limited effect on these impairments. A promising new drug target for the treatment of cognitive deficits is the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR).

My work focuses on in vitro and in vivo characterisation of nAChR ligands, particularly ligands for the α7 nAChR. With this I aspire to provide a better scientific rationale for further drug development in this field.

We have used immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization in combination with selective brain lesions and intracerebral drug injections to characterize the brain regions and neuron types involved in the effects of nAChR ligands. In addition, we have used animal models of schizophrenia and AD to examine disease-related molecular and behavioural effects.

Biography

2010 -	Post Doc at the Neurobiology Research Unit
2006 - 2009	PhD Student at Neurosearch A/S and the University of Copenhagen
2003 - 2006	Human Biology Master student at the University of Copenhagen
2005	Research assistant at the University of Queensland
1999-2003	Civil Engineering student at the Technical University of Denmark

Publications

Thomsen MS, Hay-Schmidt A, Hansen HH, Mikkelsen JD (2010) Distinct neural pathways mediate alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor-dependent activation of the forebrain. Cereb Cortex in press.
Thomsen MS, Hansen HH, Timmermann DB, Mikkelsen JD (2010). Cognitive improvement by activation of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors: From animal models to human pathophysiology. Curr Pharm Design, 16:323-343.
Thomsen MS, Hansen HH, Mikkelsen JD (2010) Opposite effect of phencyclidine on activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc) in juvenile and adult limbic rat brain regions. Neurochem Int, 56:270-275.
Mikkelsen JD, Thomsen MS, Hansen H, Lichota J (2009). Use of biomarkers in discovery of novel anti-schizophrenia drugs. Drug Discov Today, 15:137-141.
Trajkovska V, Santini MA, Marcussen AB, Thomsen MS, Hansen HH, Mikkelsen JD, Arneberg L, Kokaia M, Knudsen GM, Aznar S (2009). BDNF downregulates 5-HT(2A) receptor protein levels in hippocampal cultures. Neurochem Int, 55:697-702.
Trajkovska V, Kirkegaard L, Krey G, Marcussen AB, Thomsen MS, Chourbaji S, Brandwein C, Ridder S, Halldin C, Gass P, Knudsen GM, Aznar S (2009). Activation of glucocorticoid receptors increases 5-HT(2A) receptor levels. Exp Neurol. 218:83-91.
Thomsen MS, Christensen DZ, Hansen HH, Redrobe J, Mikkelsen JD (2009) Alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor activation prevents behavioral and molecular changes induced by repeated phencyclidine treatment. Neuropharmacology. 56:1001-1009.
Thomsen MS, Mikkelsen JD, Timmermann DB, Peters D, Hay-Schmidt A, Martens H, Hansen HH (2008) The selective alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist A-582941 activates immediate early genes in limbic regions of the forebrain: Differential effects in the juvenile and adult rat. Neuroscience 154:741-753.
Soderman A, Thomsen MS, Hansen HH, Nielsen EO, Jensen MS, West MJ, Mikkelsen JD (2008) The nicotinic alpha(7) acetylcholine receptor agonist SSR180711 is unable to activate limbic neurons in mice overexpressing human amyloid-beta(1-42). Brain Res 1227:240-247.
Kristensen SE, Thomsen MS, Hansen HH, Timmerman DB, Hay-Schmidt A, Mikkelsen JD (2007) The alpha7 nicotinic receptor agonist SSR180711 increases activity regulated cytoskeleton protein (Arc) gene expression in the prefrontal cortex of the rat. Neurosci Lett 418:154-158.

Awards

Address

Neurobiology Research Unit
Rigshospitalet
Blegdamsvej 9
DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
Phone: +45 3545 6736
Fax: +45 3545 6713
E-mail: morten.s.thomsen#nru.dk