All events, 2013

DOES LIFE EQUAL INFORMATION PROCESSING?

Lecture
Date:
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Hour: 13:00
Location:
The David Lopatie Conference Centre
Dr. Yuval Noah Harari
|
Dept of History, Hebrew University, Jerusalem

The subject of this talk will be conversion of the “information processing” paradigm into the control paradigm, not only in the life sciences but also in growing parts of the humanities and social sciences. The second part will focus on the implications of this subject to the study of the brain and consciousness. Is the brain an information processing system? And if so, does this imply that consciousness is an information processing system? What do we miss when we try to understand the world through the information processing paradigm?

Localization of Functions in the Human Brain:Combined Neuroimaging, Intracranial EEG, and Electrical Brain Stimulation

Lecture
Date:
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Hour: 16:00
Location:
Nella and Leon Benoziyo Building for Brain Research
Prof. Josef Parvizi
|
Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University

Throughout the history of neuroscience, from the Chinese to the Egyptians and Romans, it was a key problem to find the seat of human experience. Once it was discovered that the brain is the sole proprietor of the human mind, a second flurry of scientific discourse focused on defining the localization of cognitive functions in the vast mantle of the brain. In my talk, after a brief historical overview, I will discuss the notion of localization of function in the brain in light of recent data from intracranial electrophysiological recordings during real life settings and electrical stimulation of the brain in conscious human subjects.

Neuronal signal integration in dendrites and axons of hippocampal neurons

Lecture
Date:
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Hour: 12:30
Location:
Nella and Leon Benoziyo Building for Brain Research
Prof. Nelson Sprutson
|
Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Farm Research Campus, Ashburn, VA, USA

The hippocampus is made up of a diverse collection of neurons with complex physiological properties. I will describe our efforts to understand the functional diversity of these neurons. Most of our work has focused on principal neurons (pyramidal neurons in CA1 and subiculum), where we have described a role for dendritic excitability in synaptic integration and plasticity, as well as diversity in the structure, function, and plasticity in two distinct types of pyramidal neurons. In addition, I will describe recent work demonstrating the importance of the axon as an integrative structure in some inhibitory interneurons in the hippocampus.

Empathic helping in rats and its modulation by social parameters

Lecture
Date:
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Hour: 12:30
Location:
Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Building for Biomedical Research
Dr. Inbal Ben-Ami Bartal
|
Dept of Neurobiology, University of Chicago

Empathy, the recognition and sharing of affective states between individuals, is an adaptive response with ancient evolutionary roots. The experience of empathy rises from activation of subcortical neural circuits in the brain stem, thalamus and paralimbic areas that are highly conserved across mammalian species. Primarily, it is crucial for the survival of altricial mammals to be able to respond to the needs of offspring appropriately. More broadly, communication of emotions promotes group survival, by alerting against potential threats and, depending on context, inducing pro-social actions. Behavioral homologues of empathy have been observed in different non-human animals. For instance, it has been clearly established that rodents display emotional contagion of others’ distress, and are motivated to alleviate another rat’s distress. We found that rats intentionally released a cagemate trapped in a restrainer, even when social contact was prevented. When a second restrainer containing a highly palatable food (chocolate chips) was present, rats opened both restrainers and typically shared the chocolate. Since only cagemates were tested, it is unclear if these behaviors generalize to strangers. Helping others is costly and resource depleting, and should thus be discriminately extended. In humans, the expression of empathically motivated pro-social behavior is dependent on social context, where people are more motivated to help in-group members than out-group members. Correspondingly, emotional contagion is modulated by familiarity in rodents. Mice have been found to display heightened pain sensitivity when witnessing a cagemate in pain, but not a stranger in pain. To investigate these questions, we are currently exploring the effect of social parameters such as familiarity and relatedness on the expression of empathic helping in rats.

Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Memory Consolidation and its Possible Implications for Alzheimer Disease New Therapy

Lecture
Date:
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Hour: 12:30
Location:
Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
Prof. Kobi Rosenblum
|
Sagol Dept of Neurobiology, University of Haifa

We are interested in understanding how memories are encoded and retained in the brain and use different methods to uncover the basic molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying learning. Following accumulation of basic science research and data, we recently try to find new ways to enhance memory. Very little is known about drugs which can enhance the consolidation phase of memories in the cortex, the brain structure considered to store at least partially, long term memories. We tested the hypothesis that pharmacological and genetic manipulation of translation machinery, known to be involved in the molecular consolidation phase, enhances positive or negative forms of cortical dependent memories. We found that dephosphorylation (Ser51) of eIF2α specifically in the cortex is both correlated and necessary for normal memory consolidation. In order to reduce eIF2α phosphorylation and improve memory consolidation, we pharmacologically or genetically inhibited the different eIF2α kinases expressed in the brain. In addition, we tested the involvement of eIF2α pathway in mice models of aging and sporadic Alzheimer disease and found strong link between the two. Relevant recent publications: 1. Costa-Mattioli M, Gobert D, Stern E, Gamache K, Colina R, Cuello C, Sossin W, Kaufman R, Pelletier J, Rosenblum K, Krnjević K, Lacaille JC, Nader K, Sonenberg N (2007). eIF2 phosphorylation regulates the switch from short to long-term synaptic plasticity and memory. Cell 6;129(1):195-206. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17418795 2. ApoE ε4 is associated with eIF2α phosphorylation and impaired learning in young mice (2013). Yifat Segev, Daniel M. Michaelson, Kobi Rosenblum Neurobiology of Aging. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22883908 3. Blocking eIF2a kinase – PKR – Enhances Positive and Negative Forms of Cortex-Dependent Taste Memory (2013). Stern Elad, Chinnakkaruppan Adaikkan, David Orit ,Sonenberg Nahum and Rosenblum Kobi. Journal of Neuroscience (in press).

Quantitative MRI: new measurements reveal structure-function relationships in the living human brain

Lecture
Date:
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Hour: 12:30
Location:
Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
Dr. Aviv Mezer
|
Dept of Psychology, Stanford University

Understanding human brain structure and function organization in health, disease and development is one of the great challenges for neuroscience. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the most valuable technique for noninvasive in vivo imaging of human brain. However, the use of MRI is currently limited, due to the lack of theory that links the specific biological structures to the measured signal. In my presentation I will describe a new quantitative MRI (qMRI) method that directly measures two biophysical properties of the human brain tissue: the macromolecular tissue volume and the macromolecular physico-chemical environment. I will discuss how such quantities can be used for 1) individualize diagnostic applications and 2) mapping structure-function relations in cognitive processes such as reading.

Neural circuits for motor exploration and learning

Lecture
Date:
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Hour: 12:30
Location:
Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
Prof. Jesse Goldberg
|
Department of Neurobiology and Behavior Cornell University

Most human motor behaviors, such as speech or a piano concerto, are not innately programmed but are learned through a gradual process of trial and error. Learning requires exploration and the evaluation of subsequent performance. How are these processes implemented in the brain, and how do they go awry in disease? Songbirds provide a powerful model system to address these questions. Before they develop mature songs, young songbirds ‘babble’—producing highly variable vocalizations that underlie a process of trial-and-error. To investigate the neural mechanisms underlying exploration during learning, I recorded and manipulated neural activity in the basal ganglia, thalamus, and motor cortex-like nuclei in singing juvenile birds. Though the thalamus is traditionally considered a relay between the basal ganglia and cortex, I found that the thalamus, and not its inputs from the BG, was required for vocal variability during babbling. Meanwhile, the BG were required for song learning over time. Currently, my lab is pursuing three specific aims to study precisely how the BG support song learning. First, we are combining neural recordings with acoustic biofeedback to understand how neurons encode how ‘good’ (or ‘bad’) the song sounds. Second, we are developing optogenetic techniques to manipulate the activity of specific neuron subtypes in freely moving, singing birds. Finally, we are developing novel technologies to massively expand the number of neurons we can record simultaneously in singing birds. Basal ganglia circuits in songbirds and humans are very similar, and our overarching goal is to discover basic functions in a tractable model system that may ultimately provide insights into BG diseases such as Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and dystonia.

Brain Sciences open day

Conference
Date:
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Hour: 12:30 - 16:00
Location:
The David Lopatie Conference Centre

Homepage

Inflammation: A friend & a foe

Conference
Date:
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Hour: 08:00 - 20:00
Location:
The David Lopatie Conference Centre

Homepage

THE ORCHESTRAL BRAIN:HIGH-FIDELITY CODING WITH CORRELATED NEURONS

Lecture
Date:
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Hour: 14:30
Location:
Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
Dr. Rava da Silveira
|
École Normale Supérieure, Paris, France

While single-cell activity may be well correlated with simple aspects of sensory stumuli, rich stimuli or subtly differing stimuli require concomitant coding by several neurons in a population. It is then natural to ask whether the nature of the coding is ‘orchestral’ in that it relies upon correlation and physiological diversity among cells. Positive correlations in the activity of neurons are widely observed in the brain and previous studies stipulate that these are at best marginally favorable, if not detrimental, to the fidelity of population codes, compared to independent codes. Here, we put forth a scenario in which positive correlations can enhance coding performance by astronomical factors. Specifically, the probability of discrimination error can be suppressed by many orders of magnitude. Likewise, the number of stimuli encoded—the capacity—can be enhanced by similarly large factors. These effects do not necessitate unrealistic correlation values and can occur for populations with as little as a few tens of neurons. The scenario relies upon ‘lock-in’ patterns of activity with which correlation relegates the noise in irrelevant modes. We further demonstrate that, quite generically, coding fidelity is enhanced by physiological heterogeneity. Finally, we formulate heuristic arguments as to the plausibility of ‘lock-in’ patterns and possible experimental tests of the theoretical proposal.

Pages

All events, 2013

Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Memory Consolidation and its Possible Implications for Alzheimer Disease New Therapy

Lecture
Date:
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Hour: 12:30
Location:
Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
Prof. Kobi Rosenblum
|
Sagol Dept of Neurobiology, University of Haifa

We are interested in understanding how memories are encoded and retained in the brain and use different methods to uncover the basic molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying learning. Following accumulation of basic science research and data, we recently try to find new ways to enhance memory. Very little is known about drugs which can enhance the consolidation phase of memories in the cortex, the brain structure considered to store at least partially, long term memories. We tested the hypothesis that pharmacological and genetic manipulation of translation machinery, known to be involved in the molecular consolidation phase, enhances positive or negative forms of cortical dependent memories. We found that dephosphorylation (Ser51) of eIF2α specifically in the cortex is both correlated and necessary for normal memory consolidation. In order to reduce eIF2α phosphorylation and improve memory consolidation, we pharmacologically or genetically inhibited the different eIF2α kinases expressed in the brain. In addition, we tested the involvement of eIF2α pathway in mice models of aging and sporadic Alzheimer disease and found strong link between the two. Relevant recent publications: 1. Costa-Mattioli M, Gobert D, Stern E, Gamache K, Colina R, Cuello C, Sossin W, Kaufman R, Pelletier J, Rosenblum K, Krnjević K, Lacaille JC, Nader K, Sonenberg N (2007). eIF2 phosphorylation regulates the switch from short to long-term synaptic plasticity and memory. Cell 6;129(1):195-206. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17418795 2. ApoE ε4 is associated with eIF2α phosphorylation and impaired learning in young mice (2013). Yifat Segev, Daniel M. Michaelson, Kobi Rosenblum Neurobiology of Aging. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22883908 3. Blocking eIF2a kinase – PKR – Enhances Positive and Negative Forms of Cortex-Dependent Taste Memory (2013). Stern Elad, Chinnakkaruppan Adaikkan, David Orit ,Sonenberg Nahum and Rosenblum Kobi. Journal of Neuroscience (in press).

Quantitative MRI: new measurements reveal structure-function relationships in the living human brain

Lecture
Date:
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Hour: 12:30
Location:
Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
Dr. Aviv Mezer
|
Dept of Psychology, Stanford University

Understanding human brain structure and function organization in health, disease and development is one of the great challenges for neuroscience. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the most valuable technique for noninvasive in vivo imaging of human brain. However, the use of MRI is currently limited, due to the lack of theory that links the specific biological structures to the measured signal. In my presentation I will describe a new quantitative MRI (qMRI) method that directly measures two biophysical properties of the human brain tissue: the macromolecular tissue volume and the macromolecular physico-chemical environment. I will discuss how such quantities can be used for 1) individualize diagnostic applications and 2) mapping structure-function relations in cognitive processes such as reading.

Neural circuits for motor exploration and learning

Lecture
Date:
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Hour: 12:30
Location:
Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
Prof. Jesse Goldberg
|
Department of Neurobiology and Behavior Cornell University

Most human motor behaviors, such as speech or a piano concerto, are not innately programmed but are learned through a gradual process of trial and error. Learning requires exploration and the evaluation of subsequent performance. How are these processes implemented in the brain, and how do they go awry in disease? Songbirds provide a powerful model system to address these questions. Before they develop mature songs, young songbirds ‘babble’—producing highly variable vocalizations that underlie a process of trial-and-error. To investigate the neural mechanisms underlying exploration during learning, I recorded and manipulated neural activity in the basal ganglia, thalamus, and motor cortex-like nuclei in singing juvenile birds. Though the thalamus is traditionally considered a relay between the basal ganglia and cortex, I found that the thalamus, and not its inputs from the BG, was required for vocal variability during babbling. Meanwhile, the BG were required for song learning over time. Currently, my lab is pursuing three specific aims to study precisely how the BG support song learning. First, we are combining neural recordings with acoustic biofeedback to understand how neurons encode how ‘good’ (or ‘bad’) the song sounds. Second, we are developing optogenetic techniques to manipulate the activity of specific neuron subtypes in freely moving, singing birds. Finally, we are developing novel technologies to massively expand the number of neurons we can record simultaneously in singing birds. Basal ganglia circuits in songbirds and humans are very similar, and our overarching goal is to discover basic functions in a tractable model system that may ultimately provide insights into BG diseases such as Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and dystonia.

THE ORCHESTRAL BRAIN:HIGH-FIDELITY CODING WITH CORRELATED NEURONS

Lecture
Date:
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Hour: 14:30
Location:
Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
Dr. Rava da Silveira
|
École Normale Supérieure, Paris, France

While single-cell activity may be well correlated with simple aspects of sensory stumuli, rich stimuli or subtly differing stimuli require concomitant coding by several neurons in a population. It is then natural to ask whether the nature of the coding is ‘orchestral’ in that it relies upon correlation and physiological diversity among cells. Positive correlations in the activity of neurons are widely observed in the brain and previous studies stipulate that these are at best marginally favorable, if not detrimental, to the fidelity of population codes, compared to independent codes. Here, we put forth a scenario in which positive correlations can enhance coding performance by astronomical factors. Specifically, the probability of discrimination error can be suppressed by many orders of magnitude. Likewise, the number of stimuli encoded—the capacity—can be enhanced by similarly large factors. These effects do not necessitate unrealistic correlation values and can occur for populations with as little as a few tens of neurons. The scenario relies upon ‘lock-in’ patterns of activity with which correlation relegates the noise in irrelevant modes. We further demonstrate that, quite generically, coding fidelity is enhanced by physiological heterogeneity. Finally, we formulate heuristic arguments as to the plausibility of ‘lock-in’ patterns and possible experimental tests of the theoretical proposal.

Multisensory processes guide 3-D spatial navigation in echolocating bats

Lecture
Date:
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Hour: 12:30
Location:
Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
Prof. Cynthia Moss
|
University of Maryland, College Park, MD

Echolocating bats exhibit an extraordinary array of solutions to the challenges of maneuvering in cluttered environments, pursuing evasive prey, taking food from water surfaces, and landing on the ceiling or walls of confined spaces. Moreover, they are equipped with a biological sonar system that permits spatial navigation and target tracking in complete darkness. By actively controlling the directional aim, timing, frequency content, and duration of echolocation signals to “illuminate” the environment, the bat directly influences the acoustic input available to its sonar imaging system. Detailed analyses of the bat’s sonar behavior suggests that the animal’s actions play into a rich 3-D representation of the environment, which then guides motor commands for subsequent call production, head aim and flight control in an adaptive feedback system. Somatosensory signaling of airflow along the wing membrane also contributes to the exquisite flight control of bats. Recent research reveals that microscopically small hairs embedded in the bat wing play a functional role in sensing air flow, which is important to it to carry out rapid and agile aerial maneuvers. Neurons in bat primary somatosensory cortex (S1) respond to directional stimulation of the wing hairs with low-speed air flow, and this response is diminished after removal of the hairs. The directional preference of cortical S1 neurons indicates that the hairs respond strongest to reverse airflow, and might therefore act as stall detectors. Further, depilation of different functional regions of the wing membrane alters flight behavior in obstacle avoidance tasks by reducing aerial maneuverability, as indicated by decreased turning angles. Collectively, these findings suggest that bat aerial navigation engages multisensory processes that guide a suite of adaptive motor behaviors.

History and News in the Human Visual Cortex

Lecture
Date:
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Hour: 12:30
Location:
Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
Prof. Rafi Malach
|
Department of Neurobiology, WIS

In the search for unifying principles of human visual cortex function- it will be proposed that human cortical dynamics can be viewed as shifting between two modes. The first is the well-studied active-mode, informing about visual "News"- i.e. the current perceptual state of the observer. These signals are characterized by fast "ignitions" of highly selective neuronal activity. The second, still poorly understood resting- mode is characterized by slow and wide-spread spontaneous fluctuations. It will be hypothesized that these signals inform about the "History"-i.e. the accumulated statistics of prior cortical activations. Examples of these two modes will be shown- derived from single neurons, local field potentials and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Preliminary evidence supporting their functional significance will be presented.

Does the orbitofrontal cortex signal value?

Lecture
Date:
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Hour: 12:45
Location:
Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
Prof. Geoffrey Schoenbaum
|
Cellular Neurobiology Branch Chief, NIDA, NIH

The orbitofrontal cortex is strongly implicated in good (or at least normal) “decision-making”. Key to good decision-making is knowing the general value or "utility" of available options. Over the past decade, highly influential work has reported that the neurons in the orbitofrontal cortex signal this quantity. Yet the orbitofrontal cortex is typically not necessary for apparent value-based behaviors unless those behaviors require value predictions to be derived from access to complex models of the task, and the neural correlates cited above only part of a much richer representation linking the characteristics of specific outcomes (sensory, timing, unique value) that are expected and the events associated with obtaining them. In this workshop, I will review these data to argue that this aspect of encoding in the orbitofrontal cortex is actually what is critical in explaining the role of this area in both behavior and learning, and that any contribution of this area to economic decision-making stems from its unique role in allowing value to be derived (both within and without) from these environmental models.

Cellular and Circuit Changes Underlying Cortical Learning and Pathology

Lecture
Date:
Monday, January 7, 2013
Hour: 14:30
Location:
Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
Dr. Amos Gdalyahu
|
Dept of Neurobiolgy, School of Medicine, UCLA

Sensory perception is shaped by past learning, and is mediated by neuronal circuits in the sensory cortex. However, what are the changes in these neuronal circuits following learning have remained unknown. To reveal the circuit changes, I developed a new associative fear-learning procedure, and using in vivo 2-photon microscopy measured the circuit responses to the associated stimulus following learning. I discovered that associative learning reduces the percentage of neurons responding to the associated stimulus, while the neurons that still respond increase their response strength. These changes are specific to associative learning because non-associative training triggers a very different set of circuit changes. Therefore, associative learning shapes circuit responses in the sensory cortex for more efficient processing of the conditional stimulus, and for higher signal to noise ratio. The research in my laboratory will continue to address fundamental questions at the levels of cortical neurons, circuits, and behavior. Specifically, how cortical circuits store new information, what are the cortical pathologies in mouse models of autism, and - in the long-term - what are the mechanisms of learning flexible behavior.

Neurophenomenology and the aesthetics of space flight

Lecture
Date:
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Hour: 14:30
Location:
Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
Prof. Shaun Gallagher
|
Dept of Philosophy, University of Memphis

Introduction: Shaun Gallagher is a philosopher whose interests include embodied and social cognition, perception and agency. His research focuses on phenomenology, philosophy of mind, cognitive science, and hermeneutics, especially the topics of embodied cognition and intersubjectivity. He holds the Lillian and Morrie Moss Chair of Excellence in Philosophy at the University of Memphis. He’s the author of several books, including How the Body Shapes the Mind, Hermeneutics and Education, The Inordinance of Time, and most recently Brainstorming (2008), and (with Dan Zahavi), The Phenomenological Mind (2008). He is editor of The Oxford Handbook of the Self (2011).

Epigenetic transgenerational inheritance alters stress responses in a sexually dimorphic manner

Lecture
Date:
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Hour: 12:30
Location:
Nella and Leon Benoziyo Building for Brain Research
Prof. David Crews
|
Integrative Biology Section, University of Texas, Austin TX

Ancestral environmental exposures to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can promote epigenetic transgenerational inheritance and influence all aspects of the life history of descendants. What happens in the life of descendant is also important, and it is well established that proximate life events such as chronic stress during adolescence modify elements of the adult phenotype, including physiological, neural, and behavioral traits. We use a systems biology approach to investigate in rats to explore this interaction of the ancestral modifications carried transgenerationally in the germ line and the proximate modifications involving chronic restraint stress during adolescence. We find that a single exposure to a common-use fungicide (vinclozolin) three generations removed alters the physiology, behavior, metabolic activity, and transcriptome in discrete brain nuclei in descendant males, causing them to respond differently to chronic restraint stress. This alteration of baseline brain maturation promotes a change in neural genomic activity that correlates with changes in physiology and behavior, revealing the interaction of genetics, environment, and epigenetic transgenerational inheritance in the shaping of the adult phenotype. Further, in many of these traits females differ fundamentally from males, indicating that such effects are not general but sex-specific in how descendants of these progenitor individuals perceive and respond to a common challenges (e.g., chronic restraint stress) experienced during their own life history.

Pages

All events, 2013

There are no events to display

All events, 2013

There are no events to display