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NJIT Mathematical Biology Seminar

Tuesday, September 19, 2006, 4:00pm
Cullimore Hall 611
New Jersey Institute of Technology

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The Barrel Cortex: a window into cortical circuitry and its development

Joshua C. Brumberg

Department of Psychology
Queens College and The Graduate Center, CUNY

Our laboratory has focused on two principal issues, the cortical circuits involved in sensorimotor integration and the development of cortical circuits in the mouse barrel cortex. Integration between primary somatosensory cortex and primary motor cortex is important in updating motor plans to the constantly changing sensory environment. We have developed an in vitro slice preparation that maintains the synaptic connectivity between whisker M1 and whisker S1. The anatomy suggests a very specific projection between the two areas. Furthermore, electrical stimulation in M1 and recording in S1 shows a strong facilitating response whereas S1 stimulation while recording in M1 does not. The novel sensorimotor slice provides us with the opportunity to study interareal communication in vitro. The other focus of the laboratory is how activity can influence cortical development. Once again using the mouse whisker-to-barrel system we have examined the influence of sensory activity on dendritic and extra cellular matrix development. Unilateral whisker trimming from birth increases dendritic complexity and decreases a specific component of the extracellular matrix suggesting a possible substrate for changes in receptive field properties of neurons in deprived cortex. Our results suggest a role of sensory experience in influencing the development of cortical circuits.