NEUROPLASTICITY LABSITE LINKS

• Dr. Hans C. Dringenberg
• People in the Lab
• Facilities
• Publications
• Teaching

EXTERNAL LINKS

• Centre for Neuroscience Studies
• Society of Neuroscience
• Canadian Association for Neuroscience
• Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada
• Canadian Society of Brain, Behaviour and Cognitive Science
  

RESEARCH OVERVIEW

The neocortex is the evolutionary most recent addition to the central nervous system and constitutes the "highest" level of sensory processing, cognition, and programming of adaptive, intelligent behaviour. Neurological disorders that affect neocortical functioning (e.g., Alzheimer's disease, depression, schizophrenia) result in significant behaviour or cognitive impairments. Thus, an improved understanding of the fundamental properties and activity of the neocortex is one of the primary goals of current neuroscientific research.

The activity of the neocortex can be measured by means of electrophysiological recordings. We use a variety of such recordings (e.g., EEG, evoked potentials/long-term potentiation, single unit activity) to study neocortical activity in freely moving or anesthetized rats.

1. Activation of the Neocortical EEG during Waking, REM Sleep, and Aging: Brain Systems and Neurotransmitters

During active waking behaviour and REM sleep, the cortical EEG shows fast, high-frequency activity patterns. During slow wave sleep, low frequency rhythms dominate the EEG. Interestingly, during aging and in Alzheimer's patients, the waking EEG also displays a loss of high-frequency EEG activation. We are investigating which anatomical and neurochemical (transmitter) systems are responsible for producing high-frequency EEG activation. Also, using rats as a model, we assess how the loss of EEG activation results in behavioural and cognitive (e.g., learning and memory) deficits. Finally, we test whether pharmacological restoration of EEG activation is effective in reversing these bahavioural deficits.

2. Plasticity of Neocortical Synapses: Models of Memory Encoding

The ability of the nervous system to encode and store new information depends on changes in synaptic transmission and connectivity, a concept know as "plasticity". Long-term potentiation (LTP) is an electrophysiological model of changes in synaptic strength. By studying LTP in the neocortex, we examine the mechanisms that facilitate strengthening of cortical synapses. We are also studying how cortical plasticity changes across the life span.

Supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada