Behavioral NeuroscienceBehavioral neuroscience is the main research interest of more than 30 Faculty in the Neuroscience Program. Strengths include computational and functional imaging studies of brain alterations in drugs dependence, neurobiology of learning and memory, alterations of cognitive function in ageing, psychobiology of motivation, regulation of neuroendocrine functions, molecular and neurochemical substrates of social behavior and fear conditioning, functional integration of motor and vestibular information in control of eye movements, neural basis of visual attention and neural substrates of motor control in normal and pathological conditions. A major asset available to behavioral researchers at Emory is the Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, which brings together scientists from 8 Atlanta colleges and universities to study the neurobiology of social behavior (affiliation, reproduction, aggression, and fear). Center investigators have formed collaboratories to address the neurobiology of these behaviors in diverse model systems, ranging from C. elegans to primates (including humans). Supporting this effort are 6 cores with expertise in molecular, cellular, systems, computational, imaging, and behavioral neuroscience. The program is supported by a Science and Technology Center award from the National Science Foundation. The Center not only involves over 60 faculty, it includes funding for post-doctoral fellows, graduate students, and undergraduates interested in the mission of the collaboratories or the cores. In addition, the Center has an ambitious educational and public outreach mission to increase the number of minority scientists in neuroscience and to bring neuroscience discoveries to the general public. Faculty with interests in Behavioral Neuroscience:Jocelyne Bachevalier jbachev@emory.eduTraining FacultyClick To View My Emory ProfileHippocampal and temporal lobe regulation of learning and memory in primates.  Gary Bassell gary.bassell@emory.eduTraining FacultyClick To View My Lab WebsiteThe major research interest of our laboratory is to understand the diverse and critical roles played by local protein synthesis in the central and peripheral nervous system to regulate neuronal development, synaptic plasticity, and regeneration. In addition, we are studying how impairments in local protein synthesis contribute to Fragile X syndrone (FXS) and other autism spectrum disorders, as well as two motor neuron diseases: spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and amyotrophic lateral scherosis (ALS). We are using in vitro and in vivo models of synaptic activity, nerve and spinal cord injury, as well as mouse models of neurological diseases, to assess the function of mRNA regulation and local protein synthesis in axon guidance, nerve regeneration, and synaptic plasticity. Efforts are also underway to characterize altered neuronal receptor signaling pathways and evaluate different therapeutic modalities in these mouse models of neurological diseases. Our research utilizes an integrated multi-disciplinary approach that involves cellular, molecular, biochemical, physiological, and behavioral methods and paradigms. These studies are expected to reveal new mechanisms important for neuronal development and function, and targeted approaches for therapeutic intervention that treat underlying molecular defects.  Gregory Berns gberns@emory.eduTraining FacultyClick To View My Lab WebsiteMy research is aimed at understanding the neurobiological basis for individual preferences and how the biology places constraints on the decisions people make -- a field now known as neuroeconomics. To achieve this goal, we use functional MRI to measure the activity in key parts of the brain involved in decision making. We then link these activity traces to various phenotypes of decision making. For example, we have linked the pattern of activity in the striatum with the receipt of unexpected, salient information with the tendency to alter one's behavior. More recently, we have used the timecourse of activity as a proxy for experiential utility, in the process, bridging the gap between experience and choice. Ongoing research projects are developing these methods to probe decision-making in adolescents as well as group decision-making and the influence of peer pressure at the neurobiological level.  Elizabeth Buffalo Elizabeth.Buffalo@emory.eduTraining FacultyClick To View My Lab WebsiteOur research is aimed at understanding the neural mechanisms that support learning and memory. Using neurophysiological techniques, we record simultaneously from multiple electrodes in the hippocampus and surrounding cortex in awake, behaving monkeys. We investigate how changes in neuronal activity correlate with the monkey's ability to learn and remember. We are particularly interested in the activity of neuronal networks that underlie learning and memory processes. We use spectral analysis techniques to investigate the role of oscillatory activity and neuronal synchronization in cognition.  Shannon Gourley shannon.l.gourley@emory.eduTraining FacultyThe Gourley lab is a behavioral neuroscience laboratory at Emory with a dedicated interest in issues pertaining to drug abuse and stress exposure. Broadly, the Gourley lab focuses on the mechanisms by which pathological stimuli such as stress hormone exposure or exposure to psychostimulants (cocaine, methamphetamine, methylphenidate), particularly during adolescence, regulate biochemical and cellular morphology outcomes in the brain and set the stage for behavioral decision-making in adulthood. We utilize transgenic mice, high-resolution confocal microscopy, viral-mediated gene transfer, and behavioral pharmacological strategies to better understand how cytoskeletal dynamics, particularly during adolescence, impact morphological and behavioral outcomes in adulthood. Throughout, special attention is paid to understanding: 1) why and how adolescence serves as a period of vulnerability to the persistent behavioral effects of exposure to stress hormones or drugs of abuse on the one hand, and a window of opportunity for recovery on the other; and 2) the relationship between behavioral traits and stressor and drug resilience.  James G. Herndon jim@rmy.emory.eduAssociate FacultyMy research area is the decline in cognitive function with advancing age in the rhesus monkey, and the physiological and neural changes that accompany this decline.  Ellen Hess ehess@pharm.emory.eduTraining FacultyClick To View My Lab WebsiteOur laboratory uses molecular, genetic, anatomical and behavioral approaches to determine the contribution of the basal ganglia and cerebellum to normal movements and movement disorders. Our specific interest is the pathophysiological basis of dystonia, a movement disorder characterized by abnormal patterns and strengths of muscle contractions caused by dysfunction of the basal ganglia, the cerebellum or both.  Leonard Howell lhowell@emory.eduTraining FacultyClick To View My Lab WebsiteDr. Leonard L. Howell has an established research program in behavioral neuropharmacology with a focus on central nervous system stimulants and the development of medications to treat stimulant addiction. The program is multidisciplinary and integrates operant-conditioning techniques to study behavior and drug use, in vivo microdialysis to characterize brain neurochemistry, and functional brain imaging. Ongoing studies investigate in nonhuman primate models the neurochemical mechanisms that mediate drug effects on behavior. Recent efforts have focused on drug-induced changes in brain neurochemistry with in vivo microdialysis in behaving monkeys trained to self-administer cocaine. In addition, Dr. Howell serves as Director of the Yerkes Imaging Center. His neuroimaging program includes drug receptor occupancy, pharmacokinetics, brain metabolism and functional magnet resonance imaging (fMRI) in awake, behaving monkeys. The long-range objective is to develop a unique, multidisciplinary research program in substance abuse that effectively integrates behavior, neurochemistry and functional brain imaging in nonhuman primates.  H. A. (Buz) Jinnah hjinnah@emory.eduTraining FacultyClick To View My Lab WebsiteOur research interests are in the biological basis for neurological and behavioral disorders. We have a special interest in the biological basis of dystonia, a neurological disorder characterized by involuntary twisting movements and unnatural postures with many different etiologies. Our research strategy involves two complementary approaches. One approach entails studies of biological mechanisms responsible for dystonia in Lesch-Nyhan disease, a rare neurogenetic disorder for which the genetic mutations and biochemical defects are known. The other approach involves the investigation of biological mechanisms shared by different forms of dystonia, with the goal of identifying final common molecular and neural pathways.  Shella Keilholz shella.keilholz@bme.gatech.eduAssociate FacultyClick To View My Lab WebsiteClick To View My Department Website My lab focuses on developing imaging methods to study networks of activity in the brain, primarily using MRI in rodents and humans. We are especially interested in mapping the spatiotemporal aspects of network function in the brain and relating the MRI signals to the underlying neural activity using concurrent fMRI and electrophysiology. Current projects include looking at the behavioral relevance of dynamic network activity; using intrinsic signal fluctuations to map networks of synchronized activity in the rat brain and their neural origins; and manipulating network activity via surgical or chemical interventions to tease out directional influences within the network.  Michael J. Kuhar michael.kuhar@emory.eduTraining FacultyClick To View My Lab WebsiteOur general interests include the structure and function of the brain, and particulary the deficits that occur in neuropsychiatric disease. There is an emphasis on neurotransmitter systems and their involvement in brain function. A recent focus has been on molecular and cellular mechanisms of drug addiction, and particularly on novel genes associated with the addiction process. Current topics of research include CART peptides, development of medications for drug addicts, and a study of novel genes involved in the addiction process.  Robert Liu Robert.Liu@emory.eduTraining FacultyClick To View My Lab WebsiteOur Computational Neuroethology laboratory is interested in understanding how behaviorally-relevant sensory signals are encoded by cortical neurons, and what factors (e.g. experience, hormones) might lead to plastic changes in that code. We investigate this in the mouse, where ultrasonic communication between animals provides a natural behavioral context for these studies, and transgenic methods offer future possibilities for mechanistic dissection of coding mechanisms. We perform electrophysiology in non-anesthetized mice, and employ computational methods to analyze the information processing capabilities of neurons.  Donna Maney dmaney@emory.eduTraining FacultyClick To View My Emory ProfileClick To View My Lab Website We are interested in the genetic and neuroendocrine bases of social behavior. We hope to understand (1) how genes, hormones and the environment interact to modulate brain plasticity, and (2) how inherited genetic changes, such as chromosomal rearrangements, affect neuroendocrine gene expression and function. Our research approach emphasizes evolutionary principles and combines the fields of molecular biology, genetics, neuroendocrinology, animal behavior, and physiological ecology. We collaborate extensively with faculty in the departments of Human Genetics, Psychiatry, and Biology. Techniques include quantitative real-time PCR, molecular cloning, in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, and behavioral analysis.  Joseph Manns jmanns@emory.eduTraining FacultyClick To View My Lab WebsiteMy research focuses on how the hippocampus and associated brain regions participate in the processes that enable our day to day memories. The study of memory benefits greatly from the close homology of the hippocampus across the mammalian taxon, and my lab studies memory by pursuing electrophysiological recordings in rats as they perform memory tasks. In particular, we are interested in the fundamental neurobiological computations arising from the circuitry of the hippocampus and parahippocampal region--the ways in which the anatomy and physiology of the hippocampus enact changes on incoming information and the ways in which this altered information is stored in the brain.  Helen S. Mayberg hmayber@emory.eduTraining FacultyMy research program has as a central theme, the characterization of neural systems mediating mood and emotional behaviors in health and disease, with a primary emphasis on major depression and its recovery. Functional neuroimaging (PET, fMRI) serve as the core methodologies, although all projects are multi-disciplinary (clinical trials, neurophysiology, personality structure, genetics, cognitive neuroscience, functional neurosurgery). The long-term goals of these integrated studies is the improved understanding of clinical algorithms that will discriminate patient subgroups, optimize treatment selection, predict relapse risk, and provide markers of disease vulnerability.  Christopher E. Muly ecmuly@rmy.emory.eduTraining FacultyMy research interest is how various forms of experience alter the structural organization of nerve cell communication. We are pursuing this interest in the amygdala, where we are studying how stress alters the distribution and plasticity of glutamate receptors and key signaling proteins. We are also studying how dopamine depletion alters the signal transduction environment in direct versus indirect pathway striatal medium spiny neurons. Finally, we are studying the action of antipsychotic drugs in different brain regions using PET imaging techniques. These studies will inform our understanding of experience and drug mediate alterations in brain functioning and will be relevant to a wide variety of neuropsychiatric disorders, including PTSD, Parkinson's Disease and Schizophrenia.  Gretchen Neigh gmccand@emory.eduTraining FacultyClick To View My Lab WebsiteWhy are some individuals susceptible to the effects of chronic stress while others are resilient? Why are the very young and the very old most susceptible to the physical and mental repercussions of chronic stress? Why are females more adversely impacted by repeated stress than males? Are the effects of chronic stress exposure the manifestation of adaptations to the repeated energetic crises signaled by repetitive and prolonged stress responses? These are a few of the questions addressed by the research in the Neigh laboratory. Our work places particular emphasis on the interactions between the cerebral vasculature and the HPA axis and seeks to understand how changes in cerebral blood supply and metabolism may contribute to the pathogenesis of somatic and psychological sequela of chronic stress.  Darryl B. Neill dneill@emory.eduAssociate FacultyMy research interests are in the brain systems which control mood and motivation. Besides being of fundamental interest in the general problem of functional organization of the mammalian brain, these systems are also of interest for their possible roles in mood disorders and drug addiction. In my laboratory, we manipulate these systems and examine the resulting behavioral changes. In collaboration with the Justice laboratory in Chemistry, we manipulate these systems and examine the resulting neurochemical changes.  Steve M. Potter steve.potter@bme.gatech.eduAssociate FacultyClick To View My Lab WebsiteNew Neuroscience Technologies for Studying Learning in Vitro. We are merging software, hardware, and wetware in a new paradigm for neurobiology research, "Embodied Cultured Networks." It brings together top-down (cognitive, behavioral, ethological) and bottom-up cellular, molecular) approaches to studying the brain. We are applying Multi-electrode array culture dishes, 2-photon time-lapse microscopy, and High-speed imaging of neural activity to study cultured networks of hundreds or thousands of mammalian neurons. We are especially interested distributed activity patterns and information processing in these cultured networks. We give them a body, either simulated or robotic, and an environment in which to behave. We developed a real-time feedback system for 2-way communication between a computer and a cultured neural network. In collaboration with Dr. Robert Gross in Neurosurgery, we are using our closed-loop stimulation and recording technology to develop methods for treating epilepsy with electrical stimulation. Information for potential students: Click here  Kerry J. Ressler kressle@emory.eduTraining FacultyClick To View My Lab WebsiteThe goal of my laboratory is to create a program which utilizes the enormous power of molecular biology to approach difficult and important questions in systems neuroscience. I use genes known to be involved in synaptic plasticity to examine plasticity in the amygdala and regions which connect with it during the consolidation phase of fear memory formation. I am also initiating a program to create transgenic animal models for visualizing the amygdala neurons, some of its sensory inputs and the neuromodulatory projections which together mediate some of the important behavioral responses of fear and stress. These models will create novel and powerful tools to begin to address systems level neuroscience questions at genetic, molecular and cellular levels in combination with electrophysiological and neuroimaging approaches to neural circuitry.  James Rilling jrillin@emory.eduTraining FacultyClick To View My Lab WebsiteThe research in my laboratory uses MRI, fMRI and PET imaging to explore the neural basis of human social cognition and to compare the brains of living primates to glean insights into human brain evolution.  Hillary Rodman hrodman@rmy.emory.eduAssociate FacultyMy lab is interested in the brain systems and mechanisms that allow perceptual and cognitive abilities, such as object recognition, to emerge and reorganize during development and subsequent to brain injury. We perform neuroanatomical, electrophysiological and behavioral studies of the development, plasticity and comparative organization of the forebrain, with particular emphasis on extrastriate visual cortex in primates.  David B. Rye drye@emory.eduTraining FacultyOur laboratory seeks to discover the molecular, cell, and brain systems underlying various aspects of normal and pathological sleep/wake behaviors with an eye on improving recognition and treatment for common sleep disorders. Bench research is driven by 'bedside' clinical observations, therefore ensuring that our efforts translate to the human condition. A principal focus is on Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) and associated comorbidities (e.g., cardiovascular and psychoaffective disorders) given our discovery in 2007 of the major genetic basis for this common disorder. We are also deeply committed to deciphering the biological basis for maintaining proper alertness throughout the day. We employ anatomical, physiological, and pharmacological techniques in genetically engineered mice, rats, and non-human primates, and complementary investigations in humans. Molecular biological tools are being incorporated into our repertoire informed by ours and deCODE Genetics (Reykjavik, Iceland) collaborative efforts to mine the human genome for the genetic basis for sleep and its disorders.  Mar M. Sanchez sanchez@rmy.emory.eduTraining FacultyMy lab studies the neurobiology of stress responses and emotion regulation in nonhuman primates. We are particularly interested in understanding how early life stress (in particular, the disruption of the mother-infant relationship) affects the development of those brain systems, leading to psychopathology and pathophysiology characteristic of anxiety and mood disorders. In addition, we are integrating studies of genetic and social factors that interact with early environment to affect vulnerability to early adversity. To achieve these goals, we have used rodent, and more recently, nonhuman primate animal models to capitalize on the experimental control and the level of molecular/cellular analysis that they provide. The lab applies a multidisciplinary approach to these questions, including the analysis of: (1) neuroendocrine systems that mediate stress responses (e.g. HPA axis function, CRF); (2) social and emotional behavior (including fear and anxiety); (3) cognitive analysis; (4) brain development using in vivo neuroimaging techniques (such as MRI, DTI, and PET); and (5) molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying those changes, including studies of gene/protein expression and receptor binding of neuropeptide and corticosteroid systems in brain regions involved in stress and emotional regulation (e.g. amygdala, prefrontal cortex, hippocampus). This multidisciplinary approach bridges different disciplines (stress neurobiology, neuroendocrinology, development, neuroimaging, genetics, primatology, behavior, psychobiology, and psychopathology) and supports our collaboration with clinical researchers due to its great translational value for human studies.  Subhabrata Sanyal ssanya2@emory.eduTraining FacultyClick To View My Lab WebsiteOur group is interested in understanding how our brains adapt and what happens when neurons in the brain die or perform abnormally. The remarkable adaptability of the brains in all animals relies crucially on the lifelong ability of individual neurons to change in response to specific stimuli. It is this Neuronal Plasticity (as it applies to Learning, Neurodegeneration or Sleep) that forms the research focus of our group. The favored model organism for our studies is Drosophila, or the fruit fly, which, though surprising to some, shows a remarkable range of ?complex behaviors? as it navigates through life. What makes this a truly advantageous model organism, however, is the vast array of genetic tools at the disposal of the experimental biologist and the ability to assay plasticity at multiple levels of complexity, all the way from genes to circuits to behavior.  Krish Sathian krish.sathian@emory.eduTraining FacultyOur research interests are Tactile perception, its neural basis and its alteration in neurological disorders. Neural plasticity in the tactile system. Cross-modal interactions between tactile and visual systems. Visual attention and its neural basis. Neurological rehabilitation with special reference to stroke and blindness.  Sam Sober samuel.j.sober@emory.eduTraining FacultyClick To View My Lab WebsiteSuccessfully producing complex behavior requires that neurons in the brain produce a pattern of muscular activation that in turn results in the desired behavioral output. My research on singing behavior in finches investigates the relationship between these very different levels of description - neural activity, muscular activation, and task performance - by using a range of techniques to describe how neural circuits drive vocal output and are modified by sensorimotor experience. This work combines physiological recordings from neurons and muscles, behavioral manipulations, and computational approaches to describe the interplay between sensory feedback, motor production, and neural plasticity.  Lena Ting lting@emory.eduTraining FacultyClick To View My Lab WebsiteHow do we move so elegantly through unpredictable and dynamic environments? In my lab, we study balance control and locomotion in humans and animals to understand the organization of neural mechanisms underlying motor behaviors in general. Using a novel combination of engineering and neurophysiology techniques, and an interplay of experimental and computational studies, we are studying sensorimotor processes underlying muscle coordination in both heath and disease. Our work integrates ideas from neuroscience, biomechanics, robotics, rehabilitation, physiology, psychology, and cognitive science, addressing how neural circuits, musculoskeletal properties, adaptive process, and perception shape how we move.  David L. Walker dlwalke@emory.eduTraining FacultyThe general goal of our research is develop a deeper understanding of the neural circuitry and neuro-pharmacology of fear and anxiety. To do this, we use behavioral techniques such as Pavlovian fear conditioning in rats and mice, and fear measures such as fear-potentiated startle and freezing. Neural substrates are studied using intra-cranial drug infusions, inactivation and lesion techniques, in vivo microdialysis with high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), fos imaging, and tract tracing. We are currently exploring what we believe to be fundamental distinctions between short- and long-duration fear states. We believe the latter are more anxiety like, and arguably, a better model for clinical disorders such as PTSD.  Elaine Walker psyefw@emory.eduTraining FacultyPsychotic disorders involve an abnormality in central nervous system functioning. Our research program is concerned with shedding light on the nature and origins of this abnormality, its interaction with adolescent neuromaturational processes, and the role of environmental stressors in triggering psychotic episodes. We are studying the developmental precusors of psychosis in order to identify premorbid manifestations of dysfunction, including neurohormonal and genetic factors. Research on stress hormones and their effects on cognitive functions and brain structural and functional characteristics is also being conducted.  David Weinshenker dweinshenker@genetics.emory.eduTraining FacultyClick To View My Lab WebsiteMy lab combines genetically engineered mice with altered noradrenergic signaling and pharmacological tools to explore the influence of norepinephrine on behavior, physiology, and neurochemistry. Specific areas of interest include drug addiction, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, depression, and hibernation.  Jay M. Weiss jweis01@emory.eduTraining FacultyMy laboratory provides a wide range of training opportunities in the area of fundamental behavioral neuroscience. The laboratory utilizes behavioral, biochemical, electrophysiological, and immunological techniques to explore the relationship between brain, physiology, and behavior. A major area of interest is the construction of animal (rodent) models of abnormal behavior and the exploration of physiological processes underlying abnormal behavior by using these models. Another major focus of the laboratory is on the interaction between brain and the immune system focusing on how behavioral factors influence peripheral immune responses, and how immune products such as cytokines, influence brain and behavior.  Thomas Wichmann twichma@emory.eduTraining FacultyWe are interested in understanding the function of the basal ganglia in the normal state and in movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease or dyskinesias. These experiments will help to develop new rational treatments for these diseases that can then be used in humans. For these studies we are using a combination of electrophysiologic, biochemical and anatomical methods.  Mark E. Wilson mark.wilson@emory.eduTraining FacultyOur lab uses female rhesus monkey models to understand how social variables affect a number of neuroendocrine systems and, thus, the regulation of behavior. Using the ethnologically valid stressor of social subordination characteristic of macaque societies, we studying how exposure to social stressors disrupts reproduction and estradiol signaling and whether this is meditated by specific metabolic signals by changing appetite and diet preference. Using the same social subordinate model, other studies are evaluating the effects of social stressors on adolescent development and the maturation of brain circuitry regulating emotionality using MRI-DTI and PET imaging.  Larry Young lyoun03@emory.eduTraining FacultyClick To View My Lab WebsiteMy lab investigates the molecular and neuroendocrine mechanisms by which neuropeptides and neuropeptide receptors regulate social behaviors. We use a range of techniques ranging from transgenics, viral vector gene transfer, and promoter analysis to examine the mechanisms underlying social behaviors such as affiliation, pair bonding and social recognition in rodents.  Stuart Zola szola@rmy.emory.eduAssociate FacultyOur research program is focused on identifying the brain structures important for memory and delineating how these structures separately and in combination contribute to memory function. Our work in animals currently includes monkeys and rats, and the behavioral tests we use to assess memory in our experimental animals are based in large part on our experience with testing human amnesic patients. We use a variety of memory tasks, brain imaging, conditioning paradigms, and naturalistic behaviors, and more recently have been developing the use of reversible lesions to study both declarative memory (mediated by the temporal lobe) and nondeclartive memory (mediated by brain regions outside the temporal lobe). Additionally, we study emotional behavior and its link to memory function in humans and animals.  |
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L. Young Lab - Pair-bonded prairie voles perusing their genome sequence
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S. Potter Lab - YFP neurons on a multi-electrode array
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Y. Smith Lab - Binding of 18F-FECNT (Dopamine Transporter Ligand) in a cross-sectional section at the level of the striatum (PET)
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