The long term objective of this project is to further examine these specific changes to identify basic mechanisms responsible for the plasticity observed in the dorsal horn after regeneration of severed nerves. Combined electrophysiological and anatomical methodology coupled with single fiber recording and stimulation techniques will be used to determine: 1) if the population of sprouting fibers make aberrant connections with dorsal horn cells and/or if any properties unique to them can be identified; 2) what specific spinal mechanisms are involved in reconstruction of concise dorsal horn cell receptive fields; 3) if formation of new functional connections aid in the consolidation of dorsal horn cell receptive fields; 4) if more detailed analysis of the integration of somatosensory inputs in intact preparations can enhance our knowledge of these plastic events. The information obtained should enable the identification of specific mechanisms involved in the observed plasticity. Once identified these mechanisms can then be studied further to determine if certain manipulations could perhaps reduce the inappropriate collateral sprouting or enhance the ability of dorsal horn cells to construct concise receptive fields.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01NS023725-12
Application #
2431149
Study Section
Neurology B Subcommittee 2 (NEUB)
Program Officer
Cheung, Mary Ellen
Project Start
1989-09-01
Project End
1999-05-31
Budget Start
1997-06-01
Budget End
1998-05-31
Support Year
12
Fiscal Year
1997
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Pittsburgh
Department
Biology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
053785812
City
Pittsburgh
State
PA
Country
United States
Zip Code
15213
Jankowski, Michael P; Miller, Lauren; Koerber, H Richard (2018) Increased Expression of Transcription Factor SRY-box-Containing Gene 11 (Sox11) Enhances Neurite Growth by Regulating Neurotrophic Factor Responsiveness. Neuroscience 382:93-104
Hachisuka, Junichi; Omori, Yu; Chiang, Michael C et al. (2018) Wind-up in lamina I spinoparabrachial neurons: a role for reverberatory circuits. Pain 159:1484-1493
Jankowski, Michael P; Rau, Kristofer K; Koerber, H Richard (2017) Cutaneous TRPM8-expressing sensory afferents are a small population of neurons with unique firing properties. Physiol Rep 5:
Jankowski, Michael P; Baumbauer, Kyle M; Wang, Ting et al. (2017) Cutaneous neurturin overexpression alters mechanical, thermal, and cold responsiveness in physiologically identified primary afferents. J Neurophysiol 117:1258-1265
Hachisuka, Junichi; Baumbauer, Kyle M; Omori, Yu et al. (2016) Semi-intact ex vivo approach to investigate spinal somatosensory circuits. Elife 5:
Reed-Geaghan, Erin G; Wright, Margaret C; See, Lauren A et al. (2016) Merkel Cell-Driven BDNF Signaling Specifies SAI Neuron Molecular and Electrophysiological Phenotypes. J Neurosci 36:4362-76
Molliver, Derek C; Rau, Kristofer K; Jankowski, Michael P et al. (2016) Deletion of the murine ATP/UTP receptor P2Y2 alters mechanical and thermal response properties in polymodal cutaneous afferents. Neuroscience 332:223-30
Baumbauer, Kyle M; DeBerry, Jennifer J; Adelman, Peter C et al. (2015) Keratinocytes can modulate and directly initiate nociceptive responses. Elife 4:
Kardon, Adam P; Polgár, Erika; Hachisuka, Junichi et al. (2014) Dynorphin acts as a neuromodulator to inhibit itch in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. Neuron 82:573-86
Vrontou, Sophia; Wong, Allan M; Rau, Kristofer K et al. (2013) Genetic identification of C fibres that detect massage-like stroking of hairy skin in vivo. Nature 493:669-73

Showing the most recent 10 out of 40 publications