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Krish Sathian. Neurology.
Phone: 7-3818
Email: krish.sathian@emory.edu
Institution: Emory
Location: On Campus (Emory main campus)
Availability: Spring,Summer,Fall
Lab Positions: 1
Project Description: In my laboratory, we are interested in studying cognitive neuroscience, with special reference to perception. Our approach is a combination of psychophysics, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and, in some instances, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). We are particularly interested in the cross-modal role of visual cortex in touch. A typical student project would be to develop and test a task, and then carry out a brain scanning study addressing a specific issue. The student would work in conjunction with other personnel in the lab, and the student project would be a part of a larger, ongoing project. Depending on the student's availability and interest, there may be opportunities to continue a summer project over the academic year. Students will be involved in making presentations of the work and in publications.
Additional Project Information: Cognitive neuroscience is a field at the intersection of neuroscience and pyschology, and our research has potential applicability to neurologic rehabilitation. We are open to other projects that take advantage of our expertise to address issues that may not currently be the focus of our investigation, and to collaboration with other experts as may be necessary to mentor a given student project.
Student Requirements: Background in psychology or neuroscience is required. Our ideal student candidate is one who expresses interest during the early years of college (e.g. rising sophomore) and is interested in maintaining research activity over the subsequent years of college, but we are willing to consider other interested candidates.
Accepts 1st year students? Y
Accepts 2nd year students? Y
Suggested Reading (References):
(1) A. Zangaladze, C.M. Epstein, S.T. Grafton & K. Sathian. Involvement of visual cortex in tactile discrimination of orientation. Nature, 401: 587-590, 1999.
(2) AA.C. Grant, M. C.Thiagarajah & K. Sathian. Tactile perception in blind Braille readers: A psychophysical study of acuity and hyperacuity using gratings and dot patterns. Perception & Psychophysics, 62: 301-312, 2000.
(3) S.C. Prather, J.R. Votaw & K. Sathian. Task-specific recruitment of dorsal and ventral visual areas during tactile perception. Neuropsychologia, 42: 1079-1087, 2004.
(4) M. Zhang, V.D. Weisser, R. Stilla, S. C. Prather & K. Sathian. Multisensory cortical processing of object shape and its relation to mental imagery. Cognitive, Affective and Behavioral Neuroscience, 4: 251-259, 2004.
(5) S. Peltier, R. Stilla, E. Mariola, S. LaConte, X. Hu & K. Sathian. Activity and effective connectivity of parietal and occipital cortical regions during haptic shape perception. Neuropsychologia, 45: 476-483, 2007.
Techniques used in this lab: Screening of human subjects.
Psychophysical (behavioral) testing.
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI brain scanning).
Statistical analysis.
Additional Comments: go to http://neurology.emory.edu/
->Faculty, scroll down to my name and click
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Arthur English. Cell Biology.
Phone: 404-727-6250
Email: art@cellbio.emory.edu
Institution: Emory
Location: On Campus (Emory main campus)
Availability: Spring,Summer,Fall
Lab Positions: 2
Project Description: After peripheral nerve injury, axons are capable of regeneration but restoration of function is universally poor. This is often blamed on a progressive loss of the ability of cells in the distal stumps of injured nerves to promote regeneration. We have discovered that electrical stimulation or exercise will stimulate the growth of regenerating axons in peripheral nerves in a manner that does not depend on cells in their environment. Using transgenic mice we will investigate whether these methods can be used to promote axon regeneration when the repair of the damaged nerve is delayed.
Additional Project Information: Electrical stimulation and treadmill exercise has been shown to increase the growth of regenerating axons. It is speculated that these methods exert their effects by enhancing activity in spinal neural networks. Using electrophysiological recordings from intact rats, we will study the magnitude of simple spinal reflexes after electrical stimulation or/and treadmill exercise.
Student Requirements: The most successful students are those who are rising seniors. Younger students who are rising juniors who are especailly highly motivated also work well. Background in biology and chamistry is a must.
Accepts 2nd year students? Y
Suggested Reading (References):
(1) Groves, ML., McKeon, R., Werner, E., Nagarsheth, M., Meador, W., English, A.W., Axon regeneration in peripheral nerves is enhanced by proteoglycan degradation. Exp. Neurol. 195: 278-292, 2005.
(2) English, A.W., Meador, W., Carrasco, D.I., Neurotrophin 4/5 is required for the early growth of regenerating axons in peripheral nerves. Eur J Neurosci, 21: 26242634, 2005.
(3) English, A.W., Enhancing axon regeneration in peripheral nerves also increases functionally inappropriate reinnervation of targets. J. Comp. Neurol. 490: 427-441, 2005.
(4) English, A.W., Schwartz, G., Meador, W., Sabatier, M.J., and Amanda Mulligan Electrical stimulation promotes peripheral axon regeneration by enhanced neuronal neurotrophin signaling. J. Neurobiol. In Press, 2007.
(5) Pol-Rodriguez, M.M., Schwartz, G. and English, Arthur W. Post-Translational Phosphorylation of the Slow/b Myosin Heavy Chain Isoform in Adult Rabbit Masseter Muscle. J. Mus. Res. Cell Motil. 22: 513-519, 2002.
Techniques used in this lab: survival surgery, confocal microscopy, electromyography
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Gretchen Neigh. Psychiatry & Behav Sci.
Phone: 404-727-9022
Email: gmccand@emory.edu
Institution: Emory
Location: On Campus (Emory main campus)
Availability: Spring,Summer,Fall
Lab Positions: 1
Project Description: Approximately 20% of the geriatric population manifests a neurobehavioral syndrome that is believed to be of vascular origin and consists of mild cognitive impairment, depression and anxiety. One possible cause for this syndrome is multiple minute strokes throughout the brain. Because of the inherent limitations of human research, my lab is using a rat model to determine if experimentally-induced multiple minute ischemic lesions produce behavioral changes similar to those documented in the geriatric human population. Data to date have demonstrated that induction of these lesions produces anxiety-like and depressive-like behaviors in young adult rats. The available project involves comparing behavioral outcomes between young adult and aged adult rats. In addition, the student would begin to analyze the differences in brain damage that occur from these lesions in a young versus an aged rat.
Student Requirements: The student should be familiar with working in a laboratory and have experience working with animals.
Accepts 1st year students? Y
Accepts 2nd year students? Y
Suggested Reading (References):
(1) Neigh, G.N., Kofler, J., Meyers, J.L., Traystman, R.J., Bergdall, V., La Perle, K., DeVries, A.C.
(2004) Cardiac arrest/cardiopulmonary resuscitation increases anxiety-like behavior and
decreases social interaction. Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism 24:372-382.
Neigh, G.N., Kofler, J., Meyers, J.L., Traystman, R.J., Bergdall, V., La Perle, K., DeVries, A.C.
(2004) Cardiac arrest/cardiopulmonary resuscitation increases anxiety-like behavior and
decreases social interaction. Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism 24:372-382.
(2) Neigh, G.N., Glasper, E., Kofler, J., Traystman, R.J., Mervis, R., Bachstatter, A.,
DeVries, A.C. (2004) Cardiac arrest/cardiopulmonary resuscitation selectively
alters formation of spatial memory and abates dendritic spines of CA1 pyramidal cells.
European Journal of Neuroscience 20:1865-1872.
(3) Neigh, G.N., Glasper, E.R., Zhang, N., Plotsky, P.M., Nemeroff, C.B., DeVries, A.C. (In prep)
Cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation increases CRF R1 receptor binding and alter
HPA axis responsivity.
Techniques used in this lab: behavioral testing - elevated plus maze, anhedonia, open field
histology - tissue preparation, cutting, staining
stereology - systematic assessment of tissue damage
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