|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Faculty in the Program in Sensory and Systems Neuroscience click a faculty member's name to learn more about each research program Peter Brunjes, PhD--Development and plasticity of olfactory receptors and bulb. Alev Erisir, MD, PhD--Development and plasticity in visual cortex. David Hill, PhD--Physiology, development and plasticity of the taste pathways. Kurt Illig, PhD--Sensory coding, learning and plasticity in higher-order cortical areas. Cedric Williams, PhD--Neurobiology of memory and the role of emotional arousal in learning.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Commonwealth Professor of Psychology Ph.D., Indiana University, 1979; Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of Illinois We are primarily involved in exploring the development of the central nervous system. Current research falls into several categories. In one we are examining the role that function plays in guiding proper brain maturation. In a second we are examining growth in diverse species in order to understand general properties of early neural development and brain organization. Recent publications: Meyer, E.A., Illig, K.R. and Brunjes, P.C. (2006) Differences in chemo- and cytoarchitectural features within pars principalis of the rat anterior olfactory nucleus suggest functional specialization. The Journal of Comparative Neurology, 498: 786-795. Brunjes PC, Illig KR and Meyer EA (2005) A field guide to the anterior olfactory nucleus (cortex). Brain Research Reviews, 50:305-335. Mirich, JM, Illig, KR and Brunjes, PC (2004) Experience-dependent activation of extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK) in the olfactory bulb. The Journal of Comparative Neurology, 479: 234-241. Byrd CA,
Brunjes PC (2001) Neurogenesis in the olfactory bulb of adult zebrafish. Wilson DA, Best AR, and Brunjes PC (2000) Trans-neuronal modification of anterior piriform cortical circuitry in the rat. Brain Research 853:317-322. Poling, KR Brunjes, PC (2000) Sensory deafferentation and olfactory bulb morphology in the zebrafish and related species. Brain Research 21:135-141. Fiske, BK Brunjes, PC (2000) Microglia activation and the developing rat olfactory bulb. Neuroscience 96:807-815
Assistant Professor of Psychology MD Istanbul University 1986; Ph.D. SUNY at Stony Brook 1996; Postdoctoral Fellowship, New York University, New York Medical College My primary
interest is the development and the plasticity of visual system. Our
experiments are concentrated on an early neonatal period in life, when the
brain maintains a remarkable malleability to changes in the environment, such
as lack of light or unbalanced stimulation through both eyes. By studying the
molecules that are in function during this period, we aim to understand
plasticity, that is what allows the brain to change, adapt, learn or resist
to change in response to alterations in our environment. We use tract-tracing
and immunocytochemisty techniques to examine temporal sequence of
neurotransmitter receptor localization in the thalamocortical recipient
cortex layers, at light and electron microscope resolutions. Recent
Publications: Erisir A, Levey AI, Aoki C. Muscarinic receptor M(2) in cat visual cortex: laminar distribution, relationship to gamma-aminobutyric acidergic neurons, and effect of cingulate lesions. J Comp Neurol. 2001 Dec 10;441(2):168-85. Wang S, Bickford ME, Van Horn SC, Erisir A, Godwin DW, Sherman SM. Synaptic targets of thalamic reticular nucleus terminals in the visual thalamus of the cat. J Comp Neurol. 2001 Nov 26;440(4):321-41. Bickford
ME, Ramcharan E, Godwin DW, Erisir A, Gnadt J and Sherman SM. 2000.
Neurotransmitters Contained in the Subcortical Extraretinal Inputs to the
Monkey Lateral Geniculate Nucleus. J Comparative Neurology 424:704-717. VanHorn S,
Erisir A, Sherman SM 2000. The relative distribution of synapses in the
A-laminae of the lateral geniculate nucleus of the cat. J Comparative
Neurology 416:509-520. Erisir A, D Lau, B Rudy and C S Leonard. 1999. Specific K+ channels are required to sustain high frequency firing in fast-spiking neocortical interneurons. J. Neurophysiology 82:2476-2489. Chow A,
Erisir A, Farb C, Nadal MS, Ozaita A, Lau D Welker E and Rudy B. 1999. Kv3.1
and Kv3.2 proteins distinguish three subpopulations of GABAergic interneurons
in the mouse cortex. J Neuroscience 19(21):9932-9345. Erisir A
and Aoki C. 1998. A method of combining biocytin tract-tracing with
avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex immunocytochemistry. J Neuroscience
Methods. 18:189-197. Erisir A,
Van Horn S C, and Sherman S M. 1998. Distribution of synapses in the lateral
geniculate nucleus of the cat: differences between laminae A and A1and
between relay cells and interneurons. J Comparative Neurology,
390:24-255. Erisir A,
Van Horn S C, and Sherman S M. 1997 Relative numbers of cortical and
brainstem inputs to the LGN. Proc.Natl.Acad.Sci.U.S.A. 94(4):1517-1520. Erisir A, Van Horn S C, Bickford M E and Sherman S M, 1997. Immunocytochemistry and distribution of parabrachial terminals in the lateral geniculate nucleus of the cat; A comparison with corticogeniculate terminals. J.Comp.Neurol. 377(4):535-549.
Professor of Psychology Ph.D., Ohio University, 1979; Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of Michigan Research focuses on the neurophysiological and behavioral development of the sense of taste. Current studies examine maturational events specific to peripheral receptor cells and central nervous system neurons, the effects of early taste experience on neurophysiological and behavioral responses and the interactions among visceral and gustatory afferent discharges in the developing brainstem. Recent publications: Sollars, SI
and Hill, DL (2005) In vivo recordings from rat geniculate ganglia: taste
response properties of individual greater superficial petrosal and chorda
tympani neurones. Journal of Physiology 564:877-893. Sollars SI, Smith PC and Hill DL (2002) Time course of morphological alterations of fungiform papillae and taste buds following chorda tympani transection in neonatal rats. Journal of Neurobiology 51:223-236. Hendricks
SJ, Sollars SI and Hill DL. (2002) Injury-induced functional plasticity in
the peripheral gustatory system. The Journal of Neuroscience
22:8607-8613
Research Assistant Professor of Psychology Ph.D. University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1997; Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of Wisconsin Medical School My
over-arching research interest is in cortical structures, particularly how
plasticity at various stages of development shapes the function of these
structures (development of networks, changes in these networks with learning,
compensation following injury). To gain insight into these issues, I explore
how sensory systems code information about the world and how the codes change
with various experiences. My current research focuses on understanding how
odors are encoded in olfactory cortical structures: how the olfactory code
emerges in development, and how it changes with learning. I employ methods
such as in situ hybridization, immunocytochemistry, single-unit physiology,
and behavioral tasks. My long-term goal is to incorporate what we learn about
olfactory cortex into a general portrait of the role of cortical function and
plasticity in sensory processing. Illig, K.R. (2007) Developmental changes in odor-evoked activity in rat piriform cortex. Neuroscience, in press. Meyer, E.A., Illig, K.R. and Brunjes, P.C. (2006) Differences in chemo- and cytoarchitectural features within pars principalis of the rat anterior olfactory nucleus suggest functional specialization. The Journal of Comparative Neurology, 498: 786-795. Illig, KR (2005). Projections from orbitofrontal cortex to piriform cortex in the rat suggest a modulatory role in olfactory information processing. The Journal of Comparative Neurology, 488: 224-231. Brunjes PC, Illig KR and Meyer EA (2005) A field guide to the anterior olfactory nucleus (cortex). Brain Research Reviews, 50:305-335. Mirich, JM, Illig, KR and Brunjes, PC (2004) Experience-dependent activation of extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK) in the olfactory bulb. The Journal of Comparative Neurology, 479: 234-241. Illig, KR and Haberly, LB (2003). Odor-evoked activity is spatially distributed in piriform cortex. The Journal of Comparative Neurology, 457: 361-373 Ekstrand, JJ, Domroese, ME, Feig, SL, Illig, KR and Haberly, LB (2001) Immunocytochemical analysis of basket cells in rat piriform cortex. The Journal of Comparative Neurology, 434: 308-328. Johnson, DMG, Illig, KR, Behan, M and Haberly, LB (2000) New features of connectivity in piriform cortex visualized by intracellular injection of pyramidal cells suggest that “primary” olfactory cortex functions like “association” cortex in other sensory systems. The Journal of Neuroscience, 20: 6974-6982. Illig, KR, Danilov, YP, Ahmad, A, Kim, CBY and Spear, PD (2000) Functional plasticity in extrastriate visual cortex following neonatal visual cortex damage and monocular enucleation. Brain Research, 882: 241-250. Illig, KR, King, VR and Spear, PD (1998) Monocular enucleation prevents retinal ganglion cell loss following early visual cortex lesions in cats. Visual Neuroscience 15: 1097-1105.
Associate Professor of Psychology. Ph.D., Southern Illinois University, 1991; Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of California at Irvine Primary research interests in the neurobiological basis of memory. Currently examining the relationship between emotionally arousing events and their capacity to modulate brain systems that encode experiences into memory. Other research interests include understanding the role of brainstem nuclei in receiving inputs regarding changes in peripheral autonomic and neuroendocrine states and conveying this information to limbic system structures that regulate memory formation. Recent publications: Miyashita, T. and Williams, C. L. (2002). Glutamatergic transmission in the nucleus of the solitary tract modulates memory through influences on amygdala noradrenergic systems. Behavioral Neuroscience, 116, 13-21 Clayton, E.
C. and Williams, C. L. (2000). Noradrenergic receptor blockade of the NTS
attenuates the mnemonic effects of epinephrine in an appetitive light-dark
discrimination learning task. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 74,
135-145. Clayton, E. C. and Williams, C. L. (2000). Adrenergic activation of the nucleus tractus solitarius potentiates amygdala norepinephrine release and enhances retention performance in emotionally-arousing and spatial memory tasks. Behavioural Brain Research, 112, 151-158. Roozendaal, B., Williams, C. L., and McGaugh, J. L. (1999). Glucocorticoid receptor activation in the rat nucleus of the solitary tract facilitates memory consolidation: Involvement of the basolateral amygdala. European Journal of Neuroscience, 11, 1317-1323. Clayton, E.
C. and Williams, C. L. (2000). Posttraining inactivation of excitatory
afferent input to the locus coeruleus impairs retention in an inhibitory
avoidance learning task. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 73,
127-140. For
academic concerns, please email clw3b@virginia.edu
|
