Abstract

Research in my laboratory primarily focuses on investigating the properties and molecular mechanisms of developmental synaptic plasticity at mammalian cortical glutamatergic synapses. Our primary approach is to use electrophysiological recordings from neurons in brain slices. This is combined with techniques such as viral expression of genes of interest in slices, 2 photon calcium imaging and glutamate uncaging.? We are characterizing the mechanisms by which neuronal activity leads to both long-term and short-term synaptic plasticity at developing thalamocortical synapses and in the regulation of feed forward inhibition in layer 4. We are focusing on the role of these mechanisms in experience-dependent plasticity. Specifically we are using pharmacological and genetic tools to investigate the physiological roles of pre- and postsynaptic kainate receptors, and that of NMDA receptor NR2 subtypes. These studies enable us to understand how these synaptic mechanisms produce a functional layer 4 circuit.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Intramural Research (Z01)
Project #
1Z01NS003011-03
Application #
7594702
Study Section
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
Budget End
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2007
Total Cost
$1,211,608
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
State
Country
United States
Zip Code

  Publications

Vázquez-Santiago, Fabián; García, Yashira; Rivera-Román, Ivelisse et al. (2015) Longitudinal Analysis of Cerebrospinal Fluid and Plasma HIV-1 Envelope Sequences Isolated From a Single Donor with HIV Asymptomatic Neurocognitive Impairment. J Virol Antivir Res 4:
Luscher, Christian; Isaac, John T (2009) The synapse: center stage for many brain diseases. J Physiol 587:727-9
Terashima, Akira; Pelkey, Kenneth A; Rah, Jong-Cheol et al. (2008) An essential role for PICK1 in NMDA receptor-dependent bidirectional synaptic plasticity. Neuron 57:872-82
Daw, Michael; Isaac, John (2007) Electrophysiological recordings from neonatal neocortical brain slices. Curr Protoc Neurosci Chapter 6:Unit 6.23
Daw, Michael I; Scott, Helen L; Isaac, John T R (2007) Developmental synaptic plasticity at the thalamocortical input to barrel cortex: mechanisms and roles. Mol Cell Neurosci 34:493-502
Daw, Michael I; Ashby, Michael C; Isaac, John T R (2007) Coordinated developmental recruitment of latent fast spiking interneurons in layer IV barrel cortex. Nat Neurosci 10:453-61
Scott, Helen L; Braud, Stephanie; Bannister, Neil J et al. (2007) Synaptic strength at the thalamocortical input to layer IV neonatal barrel cortex is regulated by protein kinase C. Neuropharmacology 52:185-92
Daw, Michael I; Bannister, Neil V; Isaac, John T R (2006) Rapid, activity-dependent plasticity in timing precision in neonatal barrel cortex. J Neurosci 26:4178-87
Park, Yunkyung; Jo, Jihoon; Isaac, John T R et al. (2006) Long-term depression of kainate receptor-mediated synaptic transmission. Neuron 49:95-106
Nasu-Nishimura, Yukiko; Hurtado, David; Braud, Stephanie et al. (2006) Identification of an endoplasmic reticulum-retention motif in an intracellular loop of the kainate receptor subunit KA2. J Neurosci 26:7014-21

Showing the most recent 10 out of 24 publications