News from the LIFE Course Program at UVa

LIFE Spring Academy - May 19 - May 23, 2008 - Charlottesville, Virginia.

Lectures

The Changing Taste of Development
David L. Hill, University of Virginia

Neural systems are often characterized by impressive functional and structural changes during development. This is especially noteworthy for developing sensory systems, where large shifts in morphological inputs and sensory-dependent responses occur following onset of sensory function. Perhaps the most well known examples of experience-induced changes come from the extensive work with the primary visual cortex. Indeed, the largest developmental neural changes in sensory systems are often centered in cortical regions, with little to no alterations occurring in lower level synaptic relays. In stark contrast to most other sensory systems, the gustatory system shows a remarkable amount of plasticity at the receptor organ (taste buds) and in the first central nervous system relay, in the medulla. My talk will focus on the functional changes that occur at the receptor level and on the morphological organization of the first central nervous system relay with the purpose of demonstrating how these structures change dramatically during normal development and how susceptible they are to early environmental influences. Collectively, these changes may be important in setting up life long taste preferences and aversions. Moreover, they provide evidence for using the gustatory system as an excellent model for studying neural plasticity.

Peer Socialization Processes from Early Adolescence to Early Adulthood
Joe Allen, University of Virginia