[♪ THEME MUSIC ♪] >>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS, ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," FORMER ARIZONA GOVERNOR AND U.S.

INTERIOR SECRETARY BRUCE BABBITT JOINS US TO TALK ABOUT CONCERNS OVER THE MANAGEMENT OF GROUNDWATER IN RURAL PARTS OF THE STATE.

AND ON "CRONKITE NEWS," HOW THE MILITARY IS BEING USED IN THE ONGOING FIGHT AGAINST COVID, AND ON "BREAK IT DOWN," THE IMPACT OF BLACK MUSIC ON MUCH OF TODAY'S POPULAR MUSIC.

THAT'S ALL AHEAD IN THE NEXT HOUR ON ARIZONA PBS.

>>> GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M TED SIMONS.

PRESIDENT BIDEN TODAY ANNOUNCED ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AGAINST RUSSIA FOR WHAT THE PRESIDENT CALLED RUSSIA'S FLAGRANT VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW AND WHAT THE PRESIDENT DESCRIBED AS QUOTE, THE BEGINNING OF A RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE.

THE PRESIDENT ANNOUNCED THAT THE U.S. IS FULLY BLOCKING TWO LARGE RUSSIAN FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, ALONG WITH COME HENCIVE SANCTIONS ON RUSSIAN DEBT.

THIS COMES AFTER RUSSIAN PARTICIPATE VLADIMIR PUTIN DECLARED THAT AREAS OF UKRAINE ARE NOW INDEPENDENT COUNTRIES.

>> WHO IN THE LORD'S NAME DOES PUTIN THINK GIVES HIM THE RIGHT TO DECLARE, NO SO-CALLED COUNTRIES ON TERRITORY THAT BELONGS TO HIS NEIGHBORS.

THIS IS A FLAGRANT VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW.

>> THE PRESIDENT ADDED THAT THIS IS A FIGHT THAT THE U.S. AND NATO STARTED.

>> WE HAVE NO INTENTION OF FIGHTING RUSSIA, BUT THE UNITED STATES TOGETHER WITH OUR ALLIES WILL DEFEND EVERY INCH OF NATO TERRITORY, AND ABIDE BY THE COMMITMENTS WE MADE TO NATO.

>>> AND EU FOREIGN MINISTERS HAVE ADOPTED A FIRST ROUND OF RUSSIAN SANCTIONS.

>>> OTHER NEWS TODAY'S COVID REPORT CONTINUES AN ENCOURAGING DOWNWARD TREND WITH JUST UNDER 2800 FOR THE DAY.

THERE ARE 129 NEW COVID-RELATED FATALITIES.

AND THAT NUMBER IS CATCH UP FROM THE WEEKEND.

OVERALL THE STATE ISCO INDIVIDUAL METRICS CONTINUE TO MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

>>> A JURY FOUND TODAY THAT THE THREE MEN THAT KILLED AHMED AUBREY COMMITTED A FEDERAL HATE CRIME.

AUBREY WAS MURDERED WHILE OUT JOGS.

THE MEN WERE PREVIOUSLY CONVICTED OF MURDER IN STATE COURT, BUT TODAY'S FEDERAL HATED CRIME CONVICTIONS ENSURE THAT THOSE STATE SENTENCES ARE SOMEHOW OVERTURNED OR REDUCED REACTION FROM ATTORNEY GENERAL MERRICK GARLAND.

>> I CANNOT IMAGINE THE PAIN A MOTHER FEELS TO HAVE HER SON RUN DOWN AND THEN GUNNED DOWN WHILE TAKING A JOG ON A PUBLIC STREET.

MY HEART GOES OUT TO HER AND TO THE FAMILY.

THAT'S REALLY ALL I CAN SAY ABOUT THIS.

>>> AND THE U.S. SUPREME COURT TODAY SAID IT WILL NOT TAKE UP FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S LEGAL ATTEMPT TO KEEP FROM TURNING OVER DOCUMENTS TO ON THE JANUARY 6TH RIOT INVESTIGATION.

TODAY'S ORDER DID NOT EXPLAIN WHY THE COURT DECIDED AGAINST TAKING UP THE CASE.

>>> BRUCE BABBITT WAS GOVERNOR OF ARIZONA WHEN THINK STATE'S HISTORIC GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT ACT OF 1980 WAS PASSED.

THE ACT WAS DESIGNED TO GUARANTEE WEATHER AVAILABILITY FOR THE NEXT 100 YEARS.

EARLIER TODAY WE SPOKE WITH BRUCE BABBITT ABOUT THE ONGOING CHALLENGES OF MANAGING WATER IN THE DESERT.

GOVERNOR BABBITT, GOOD TO SEE YOU.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

THE MAJOR GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT ISSUES RIGHT NOW, WHAT DO YOU SEE?

>> TED, WE HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB WITH GROUNDWATER IN PHOENIX AND TUCSON, PINAL COUNTY AND SURROUNDING AREAS.

THE ISSUE NOW IS THE OTHER AREAS OF THE STATE, WHERE THERE HAS BEEN NO MANAGEMENT AT ALL.

AND MANY OF THOSE AREAS, THERE IS NO SURFACE WATER ATTAL.

NO ACCESS TO THE COLORADO RIVER AND THE SALT RIVER PROJECT.

AND THEIR ENTIRE FUTURE DEPENDS ON THEIR ABILITY TO MANAGE THE GROUNDWATER BASINS.

THERE'S NO MANAGEMENT OUT THERE NOW.

THERE IS NO REGULATION.

YOU CAN DRILL A WELL ANYWHERE, ANY TIME, BUT IT WILL TAKE AS MUCH WATER FOR THIS PURPOSE OR THAT, AND IT IS JEOPARDIZING THE FUTURE OF THOSE COMMUNITIES.

THEY NEED THE TOOLS TO MANAGE AT A LOCAL LEVEL, THEIR GROUNDWATER RESOURCES JUST AS WE DO IN PHOENIX AND TUCSON, SO THAT'S WHAT THE LEGISLATION IS ALL ABOUT.

>> YEAH, YEAH, AND A NUMBER OF UNREGULATED WITHDRAWALS, IS THAT NUMBER INCREASING OVER THE YEARS?

>> OH, IT'S GOING UP LIKE CRAZY.

THIS IS ARIZONA.

EVERYTHING IS GROWING.

BUT THE BIGGEST PROBLEM RIGHT NOW, YOU CAN SEE PARTICULARLY UP IN CERTAIN COUNTIES, NO SURFACE WATER.

THEY -- THE INDUSTRIAL AGRICULTURE THAT IS MOVING IN IS DRAINING THOSE BASINS TO THE POINT THAT THE CITIES WILL BE OUT OF WATER, THE BASINS WILL BE EXHAUSTED, SO WE HAVE GONE FAR ENOUGH WITH THAT EXPANSION.

WHAT WE NEED TO DO NOW IS GIVE THOSE COMMUNITIES THE POWER TO PUT SOME REASONABLE LIMITS ON FURTHER EXPANSION.

>> WHAT KIND OF LEGISLATION IS AT THE CAPITOL THAT WOULD TARGET THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF BILLS FLYING AROUND RIGHT NOW -- THERE ALWAYS ARE -- >> NO KIDDING >> -- YEAH.

HOW WOULD THIS LEGISLATION SPECIFICALLY HELP THIS ISSUE?

>> OKAY.

THAT'S A FAIR QUESTION.

IN THE MIDST OF THIS HURRICANE OF BILLS OUT THERE, THE ONE THAT IS MOST IMPORTANT HAS BEEN SPONSORED BY A REPRESENTATIVE OF CAYMAN, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MOST SERIOUSLY IMPACTED AREAS, AND THE BILL IS QUITE BASIC.

WHAT SHE IS SAYING IS LET'S GIVE LOCAL COMMUNITIES THE AUTHORITY TO PUT TOGETHER WATER MANAGEMENT PLANS.

PHOENIX AND TUCSON HAVE ALWAYS BEEN -- THEIR WATER MANAGEMENT GOVERNED FROM THE STATE LEVEL, BUT WHAT THIS REPRESENTATIVE IS SAYING IS THE RURAL COUNTIES HAVE VERY DIFFERENT NEEDS FROM ONE GROUNDWATER BASIN TO THE OTHER, AND FRANKLY THEY TEND TO BE FAIRLY SKEPTICAL OF REGULATIONS COMING OUT OF THE STATE CAPITOL, WHAT SHE SAID IS WHAT WE NEED IS THE TOOLS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL TO TAKE OUR FUTURE INTO OUR HANDS, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, REMARKABLY, THE RURAL COUNTIES HAVE NO -- AUTHORITY TO MANAGE GROUNDWATER.

NO AUTHORITY, ZERO.

THERE IS NO REGULATION OUT THERE AT ALL.

AND WHAT SHE IS SAYING IS A NICE COMPROMISE TO GO LOCAL AND EMPOWER THE LOCAL COUNTY SUPERVISORS, AND TOWN AND CITY GOVERNMENTS OUT THERE TO USE THEIR DISCRETION ABOUT CONSERVATION, ABOUT AGRICULTURAL EXPANSION, RECHARGING WEATHER AND AQUIFERS.

AND IT'S QUITE A CONCEPT, AND IT'S ABOUT POWER FOR THE LOCAL FOLKS.

>> GOVERNOR, BASIC, SIMPLE AND IMPORTANT PRIORITY, BUT WHY -- FIRST OF ALL, HAS THIS BEEN ADDRESSED IN THE PAST?

IF IT HAS NOT, WHY NOT?

AND IF IT IS BEING ADDRESSED RIGHT NOW, WHAT IS THE PUSHBACK TO THIS?

AND WHAT COULD POSSIBLY BE THE PUSHBACK.

>> BACK IN 1980, WE GOT A BROOD CONSENSUS REPUBLICANS, AND DEMOCRATS, AND ALL OF THE SECTORS TO PASS THE URBAN WATER MANAGEMENTANT.

WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME.

AND I THINK IT HAS BEEN REALLY SUCCESSFUL.

WE WERE SO ENGROSSED BACK THEN WITH DEALING WITH THE URBAN CRISIS, THAT FRANKLY, WE JUST MADE A PASSING REFERENCE TO THE RURAL AREAS, BECAUSE IT DIDN'T SEEM TO BE A CRISIS 45 YEARS AGO.

IT JUST DOESN'T FRONT AND CENTER.

IT IS TODAY.

WE HAVE THE COLORADO RIVER BAY SON, WE'RE GOING TO SEE THAT FOR AN INDEFINITE PERIOD OF TIME.

SO WHERE IS THE OPPOSITION?

I THINK UNDERSTANDABLY IS THERE IS KIND OF AN ARIZONA CULTURE, WHICH SAYS, WE HAVEN'T SEEN -- WE SEEN IT RUNNING DRY YET.

WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT THE FUTURE, BECAUSE EXCEPT FOR WELLS DRYING UP IN A FEW PLACES, WE STILL SEE SOME WATER, AND TELLING US THERE WON'T BE ANY AVAILABLE IN TEN YEARS, WE'LL WORRY ABOUT IT THEN.

IT IS KIND OF AN UNDERSTANDABLE THING.

WE DON'T WANT A BIG LEGISLATIVE DEBATE, UNTIL THE DISASTER HAS BEFALLEN US, AND WHAT THIS IS REALLY ABOUT IS SAYING WHEN THE DISASTERS ARE PERMANENT, THAT'S WHEN NEED TO START LOOKING AT IT.

>> AND YOU MENTIONED THE DROUGHT, HOW MUCH HAS THE DROUGHT CHANGED THE DYNAMICS.

EVEN BACK TO THE 1980 GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT ACT, CHANGE HAS HAPPENED A LOT, BUT THIS DROUGHT IS A MAJOR PLAYER.

HOW DOES THAT FACTOR INTO ALL OF THIS?

>> WELL, IT ADDS TO THE URGENCY BECAUSE OF THIS DROUGHT IS THE WORST WE HAVE HAD IN 1200 YEARS, AND IT'S LIKELY TO PERSIST.

NOT NECESSARILY AS INTENSIVELY, BUT THE ONSET OF CLIMATE CHANGE, THE RISE IN AIR TEMPERATURES, HAS A DRYING EFFECT, AND IT IS REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF WATER THAT PERCOLATES INTO THE GROUND TO RECHARGE AQUIFERS, AND IT IS HAVING AN IMPACT ON THE COLORADO RIVER, AND IT IS JUST ONE MORE REASON TO ADD A TOUCH OF URGENCY TO THIS.

WE HAVE GOT ENOUGH WATER IN THIS STATE TO DO WELL INTO THE FUTURE IF WE MANAGE IT, AND THAT'S KIND OF THE MESSAGE.

THERE AREN'T ANY EASY SOLUTIONS, BUT WE DO HAVE A FUTURE IF WE ARE WILLING TO GET TOGETHER IN A BIPARTISAN FASHION, GET OUT THERE AND WORK THESE ISSUES OUT.

BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER.

CHECK THE IDEOLOGY AT THE DOOR.

THIS IS NOT ABOUT REPUBLICAN IDEOLOGY, OR DEMOCRATIC IDEOLOGY.

YOU HEAR THOSE DEBATES.

BELIEVE THEM TO WASHINGTON.

LEAVE THEM TO THE RIGHT WING OR LEFT WING.

THIS IS ABOUT EVERY DAY STUFF OF LIFE.

WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER AS REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS FIND CONSENSUS ANSWERS, TURN THEM INTO LEGISLATION, AND THEN EMPOWER PEOPLE TO START DEALING WITH THE PROBLEMS, BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME SOLUTIONS, BUT THEY TAKE SOME TIME AFTER EFFORT.

>> GOVERNOR BABBITT, THANK YOU SIR.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> IT WAS A PLEASURE.

THANK >>> UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," NEW RESEARCH INTO TREATMENTS FOR PARKINSON'S DISEASE.

>>> THE MICHAEL J.

FOX FOUNDATION HAS AWARDED THREE NEW GRANTS TOTALING $5.2 MILLION TO EXPLORE PIONEERING TREATMENTS FOR PARKINSON'S.

WE LEARNED MORE THIS RESEARCH FROM JEFFREY KORDOWER, DIRECTOR OF THE ASU-BANNER NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASE RESEARCH CENTER.

JEFF JEFFREY, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

IT IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

$5.2 MILLION THAT ASU IS GETTING TO STUDY PARKINSON'S.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

WE GOT ALL OF THESE GRANTS IN ONE WEEK, WHICH IS ALMOST AMAZING.

THE FIRST ONE IS A CLINICAL TRIAL FOR PARENTS WITH PARKINSON'S DISEASE.

IT'S A SPECIFIC POPULATION OF PARKINSON'S.

IT'S JUST THE DOPAMINE DEFICIT THAT PATIENTS WITH PARKINSON'S DISEASE HAS.

THEY DON'T HAVE ALL OF THE OTHER PATHOLOGIES, SO WE'RE GOING TO TRANSPLANT NEW DOPAMINE CELLS INTO THESE PATIENTS THAT ORIGINATE FROM BLOOD, BUT CONVERT THEM INTO STEM CELLS, AND THEN WE TRANSPLANT THEM IN THE BRAINS OF THESE PATIENTS, HOPING TO REPLACE THE LOST DOPAMINE SCENE IN THE DISEASE.

ONE THING THAT MAKES ME SO EXCITED IS I HAVE CALLED THE ENTIRE MEDICAL COMMUNITY FOR PARKINSON'S DISEASE, DR. PAUL LARSON WILL BE THE NEUROSURGEON.

HE IS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA.

WE'LL DO THE SURGERIES AND -- AND THE IMAGING AT BANNER, AT BARROW, AND BANNER WILL MAKE THE [ INAUDIBLE ] FOR THE IMAGING.

>> SO GRAFTING STEM CELLS BASICALLY.

>> CORRECT.

>> WHY STEM CELLS?

>> BECAUSE WE HAVE AN UNLIMITED AMOUNT.

I CAN GROW UP AS MANY CELLS AS I NEED, AND WE TRANSPLANT THEM AT A TIME THAT IT IS GOOD FOR THE PATIENT.

>> SO YOU HAVE THE DAMAGED CELL, AND NOW YOU ARE GRAFTING STEM CELL THERE, IN HOPES THE DAMAGED CELL GOES AWAY?

>> WE DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE DAMAGED CELL.

WE'RE JUST REPLACING THE CELLS THAT ARE ALREADY LOST.

THESE PATIENTS HAVE ALREADY LOST 70% OF THEIR CELLS.

THESE CELLS ARE NOT JUST DOPAMINE CELLS, BUT CELLS FROM THE AREA THAT THE CELLS ARE LOST, SO THEY KNOW WHAT TO DO AND WHERE TO GROW.

>> WHAT IS DOPAMINE AND WHY IT IS IMPORTANT?

>> WELL, THIS THE CONTEXT OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE, PARKINSON'S PATIENTS LOSE 80% OF DOPAMINE IN A SPECIFIC REGION.

>> AND THE SECOND GRANT?

>> THAT IS A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT APPROACH.

INSTEAD OF PUTTING IN NEW CELLS, WE'RE CONVERTING THE SUPPORT CELLS AND MAKE THEM INTO DOPAMINE NEURONS, AND THERE ARE STUDIES IN LOWER ANIMALS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY ARE FUNCTIONAL, AND WE'RE GOING TO DO THESE STUDIES IN SPECIES CLOSER TO HUMANS TO SEE IF THEY CAN CONVERT AND GROW.

>> CAN YOU MAKE THEM GROW ENOUGH TO WHERE THEY WERE AS MUCH AS THE ORIGINALS WERE?

>> THAT'S WHAT THE STUDY IS ABOUT.

THAT'S OUR HOPE.

>> AND THE THIRD USING GENE THERAPY?

>> ONE OF THE REASONS PEOPLE GET PARKINSON'S DISEASE IS A NORMAL PROTEIN IN THE BRAIN BECOMES CHANGED IN SHAPE, AND THAT CHANGE IN SHAPE BECOMES TOXIC TO THE CELLS.

SO IF WE CAN CLEAR THAT AWAY, THE CELLS WILL FUNCTION BETTER, AND WE'RE ALSO VERY INTERESTED TO PREVENT THE SPREADING OF THIS PATHOLOGY FROM THE LOWER PARTS OF THE BRAIN UP INTO THE TOP PARTS OF THE BRAIN WHERE COGNITION TAKES PLACE.

>> SO ARE YOU, LIKE, INTRODUCING THINGS?

INTRODUCING ANTIBODIES?

ARE THESE ENGINEERED ANTIBODIES, HOW DO THOSE WORK?

>> WE CALL THEM INTRABODIES.

WHAT HAPPENS IS THIS BAD PROTEIN GETS SPIT OUT, AND ANOTHER CELL PICKS IT UP, AND THAT CELL BECOMES PATHOLOGICAL, BUT MOST OF THE PATHOLOGY HAPPENS INSIDE THE CELL, NOT OUTSIDE THE CELL, SO THIS INTRACELLULAR ANTIBODY, WE BIND TO IT AND PUSH IT TO THE PARTS OF THE CELL THAT DEGRADE IT.

>> ALL THREE STUDIES, ALL THREE GRANTS, OBVIOUSLY YOU WANT RESULTS AND WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD.

DO WE SNOW IN TERMS OF PREVENTION OR REASONS WHY THESE CELLS IN THESE PARTICULAR PARTS OF THE BRAIN DO WHAT THEY DO?

>> IT'S A NUMBER -- IN TERMS OF THEIR NORMAL FUNCTION OR IN TERMS OF THE PATHOLOGY?

>> YES, IN TERMS OF PARKINSON'S.

>> WE DON'T KNOW WHY IT HAPPENS, BUT WE KNOW IT DOES HAPPEN, SO THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS MISFOLDING, THIS CLUMPING, CAUSES ENERGY TO GO DOWN, STOPS THE ENTHESIS OF THE DOPAMINE AND DOES OTHER THINGS THAT ULTIMATELY CAUSE THESE CELLS TO DIE.

>> AND ISN'T THE CHALLENGE THAT PARKINSON'S ATTACKS DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

>> EVERYONE HAS THE MOVEMENT DISORDER.

SOME PEOPLE HAVE COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT.

OTHER PEOPLE HAVE DEPRESSION.

OTHER PEOPLE HAVE TASTE AND SMELL ISSUES, SO IT IS A VERY INDIVIDUALIZED DISEASE, AND THE FIELD IS TURNING A BIT TOWARDS WHAT WE CALL PRECISION MEDICINE.

SO THIS PATIENT MAY BE TREATED IN THIS WAY, WHILE A PATIENT THAT STILL HAS PARKINSON'S DISEASE, BUT WILL BE TREATED IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

>> YEAH.

AND I GUESS ANOTHER CHALLENGE IS THIS ISN'T NECESSARILY HEREDITARY, IS IT?

>> ONLY ABOUT 10% HAS A GENETIC COMPONENT.

MOST OF IT IS SPORADIC, WHICH MEANS WE DON'T KNOW.

>> GOTCHA.

TIMETABLE FOR THESE STUDIES?

>> THEY ARE ALL STARTING NOW.

>> GOOD.

>> WE ARE GOING TO PUT THE PEDAL TO THE METAL, AND I COULDN'T BE MORE EXCITED ABOUT HER OPPORTUNITIES HERE, AND WE'RE GOING TO DO GREAT THINGS FOR PEOPLE WITH DEGENERATIVE DISEASES.

>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE IT.

>>> NEW RESEARCH AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA HAS LOCATED THE REGION OF THE BRAIN THAT SIGNALS THE FEELING OF BEING FULL AFTER EATING.

RESEARCHERS ARE HOPING THIS WILL -- DISCOVERY WILL ALLOW MORE TARGETS DRUGS TO CONTROL HUNGER.

WE TALKED TO LEAD AUTHOR OF THE STUDY, HAIJUNG TSI.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AS WE TRY TO FIGURE OUT THIS STUDY ABOUT THE BRAIN.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT HERE?

WHY THE BRAIN DOES WHAT IT DOES TO MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE HAD ENOUGH FOOD.

>> YES, OBVIOUSLY ENOUGH FOR THE FOOD AND TO STOP EATING IS CRITICAL TO SURVIVAL AND HEALTH.

ONCE WE ARE FULL, WE NEED TO STOP EATING.

SO THE EATING TERMINATION IS WE KNOW IS IN THE BRAIN REGION, BUT IT IS NEVER COMPLETELY UNDERSTOOD.

SO FAR WHAT WE KNOW IS AFTER MEALS OUR BODY -- OUR GUTS CREATE A [ INAUDIBLE ] WHICH TELLS OUR BRAINS THAT YOU HAD ENOUGH FOOD.

YOU SHOULD STOP EATING.

SO PREVIOUSLY, WE KNOW THAT THIS SIGNAL CAN ACTIVATE NERVES ALL THE WAY TO THE BRAIN, IN A BRAIN REGION CALLED THE CENTRAL [ INAUDIBLE ] WHICH WE PREVIOUSLY DISCOVERED IS RESPONSIBLE FOR EATING TERMINATION.

HOWEVER, IT IS VERY COMPLICATED.

THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT KINDS OF NEURONS THAT ARE INVOLVED.

SO WE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE CELL PROPERTIES THAT WE KNOW, AND MAPPED IT DOWN TO NEURONS AND FOUND A NEW BRAIN REGION.

THESE NEURONS IN THIS REGION IS MORE SOPHISTICATED THAT CENTRAL AREA.

AND DIRECTLY THIS NEURON CAN SUPPRESS EATING.

SO THIS SUGGESTS THIS NEURON PLAYS A ROLE IN REGULATING THE BRAIN.

AND IT IS CONTROLLED BY THAT SECTION OF THE BRAIN, AND WE KNOW THAT EATING BEHAVIOR IS CONTROLLED -- IS INTERACTING WITH EMOTION ALL THE TIME, RIGHT?

FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE HAVE A GOOD MEAL, WE FEEL HAPPY, AND SOME PEOPLE ARE LESS STRESSED BECAUSE THEY EAT LESS, AND IN SOME PEOPLE THEY EAT MORE, AND IN OBESITY, THEY ALSO HAVE ABNORMAL EMOTIONAL REACTION SUCH AS DEPRESSION OR ANXIETY.

SO THE DIFFERENTIAL FOR EACH OTHER, OR TALK TO EACH OTHER, THEN HOPEFULLY IN THE FUTURE, WE CAN DEVELOP A MORE SPECIFIC THERAPIES TO TREAT THESE.

FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE WANT TO MAKE EATING DISORDER PEOPLE EAT MORE, BUT WITHOUT EFFECTING THEIR EMOTION OR VICE VERSA, SO WE HOPE THIS CAN EVENTUALLY HELP HEALTH.

>> YEAH, SO BASICALLY PARTS OF THE BRAIN THAT CONTROL, PAIN AND FEAR AND EMOTION AND THESE KINDS OF THINGS, ALSO INVOLVED IN THE HUNGER IMPULSE.

AND ARE THERE OTHER PARTS OF THE BRAIN THAT YOU ARE LOOKING AT HERE?

>> YES, WE HOPE TO UNDERSTAND EVENTUALLY EMOTION OR PAIN OR EATING, THESE ARE DIFFERENT BEHAVIORS, RIGHT?

THEY SHOULD BE CONTROLLED BY THE CENTRAL NEURAL CIRCUIT.

AND THOSE COULD BE TARGETED WITH MORE SPECIFIC THERAPIES, SO WE HOPE TO UNDERSTAND HOW THESE DIFFERENT BEHAVIORS ARE CONTROLLED BY DIFFERENT CIRCUITS, AND HOW THEY INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER.

>> AND, AGAIN, THE GOAL BEING TO DEVELOP TREATMENTS, DRUGS WHAT HAVE YOU -- BECAUSE THEY ARE OUT THERE RIGHT NOW, HAIJUNG.

ARE YOU TRYING TO MORE FOCUS THESE THINGS?

>> YEAH, I THINK THAT IS NOT AN EASY TASK.

BECAUSE FIRST WE NEED TO KNOW -- LIKE IN THE FIRST STEP, WE NEED TO KNOW WHICH BRAIN CIRCUITS CONTROL EACH OF THESE BEHAVIORS, WHICH IS NOT THAT EASY.

BECAUSE THIS IS NOT CONTROLLED BY A SIMPLE BRAIN REGION.

FOR EXAMPLE, EATING MOST REGIONS ARE INVOLVED, AND SIMILAR FOR EMOTION, IT IS ALSO CONTROLLED BY MULTIPLE BRAIN REGIONS, AND IT'S VERY COMPLICATED THAT THESE DIFFERENT NEURONS, SOMETIMES THEY INTERMINGLE WITH EACH OTHER IN SOME STAGES SAY THE CENTRAL OH MYING DA LA, WE HAVE TO SEPARATE THEM AND UNDERSTAND HOW THEY INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER.

AT THIS MOMENT, WE CAN ONLY KNOW THIS -- OR TRANSSECT IT IN NICE.

BUT IF THEY BOTH HAVE SIMILAR BRAIN REGIONS AND SIMILAR BRAIN CIRCUITS, WE NEED TO ANSWER THE QUESTION CLEARLY IN MYSELF AND THEN ADVANCE TO SEE IF THE SAME MECHANISM EXISTS IN HUMANS, THEN WE CAN DEVELOP SPECIFIC THERAPIES.

>> WOW, FASCINATING STUFF.

LEAD AUTHOR OF THE STUDY, HAIJUNG TSI, GREAT WORK, THANKS FOR SHARING IT WITH US.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

>> YES, THANK YOU.

>>> AND THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

♪ >>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HALF HOUR ON ARIZONA PBS, ON CRONKITE NEWS, HOW THE STATE LEGISLATURE COULD HELP ELECTRIC CAR OWNERS CONNECT TO CAR CHARGING STATIONS.

AND ON "BREAK IT DOWN," THE IMPACT OF BLACK MUSIC ON MUCH OF TODAY'S POPULAR MUSIC.

♪