Abstract ? Core B This core focuses on qualitative and quantitative analyses of genes, proteins, peptides and small drug compounds using conventional biochemical methods coupled with highly sensitive mass spectrometry (MS) and Laser Capture Microdissection (LCM) for sample collection. It will serve as a central resource for LCM and qRT-PCR (UNTHSC) and MS analysis of covalent protein modifications (UTHSCSA) of CNS samples from the 3 projects. The core will receive raw samples from investigators, most often these will be in the form of punches from specific brain regions of interest. LCM will be used to harvest defined populations of cells from brain sections allowing the projects to conduct experiments using samples that are more specific than punched samples. Retrograde track tracing, juxtacellular labeling, immunohistochemistry, and the expression of reporter molecules will be used to identify neurons of interest.