The full complement of ion channels which influence insect auditory mechanotransduction, and the mechanisms by which their influence is exerted, remain unclear. Shal (Kv4), a Shaker family member encoding voltage-gated potassium channels in Drosophila melanogaster , has been shown to localize to dendrites in some neuron types, suggesting a potential role for Shal in Drosophila hearing, including mechanotransduction. A GFP-protein trap was used to visualize the localization of the Shal channel in Johnston’s organ neurons responsible for hearing in the antenna. Shal protein was localized strongly to the cell body and inner dendritic segment of sensory neurons. It was also detectable in the sensory cilium, suggesting its involvement not only in general auditory function, but specifically in mechanotransduction. Electrophysiological recordings to assess neural responses to auditory stimuli in mutant Shal flies revealed significant decreases in auditory responses. Laser Doppler vibrometer recordings indicated a...

How can institutions ensure faculty feel safe, listened to, valued, and treated fairly and with respect?

How can institutions ensure faculty feel safe, listened to, valued, and treated fairly and with respect?

This webcast will give you an overview of how the budget and appropriations processes are supposed to work, and how they are working under the current legal and political climate. Watch this webcast to: Understand the meaning of key budgetary terms Learn what the failure of the budget process means for scientific research funding through agencies like NIH Discover opportunities to advocate for neuroscience funding

Preterm infants are at risk for brain injury and neurodevelopmental impairment due, in part, to white matter injury following chronic hypoxia exposure. However, the precise molecular mechanisms by which neonatal hypoxia disrupts early neurodevelopment are poorly understood. Here, we constructed a brain-wide map of the regenerative response to newborn brain injury using high-resolution imaging-based spatial transcriptomics to analyze over 800,000 cells in a mouse model of chronic neonatal hypoxia. Additionally, we developed a new method for inferring condition-associated differences in cell type spatial proximity, enabling the identification of niche-specific changes in cellular architecture. We observed hypoxia-associated changes in region-specific cell states, cell type composition, and spatial organization. Importantly, our analysis revealed mechanisms underlying reparative neurogenesis and gliogenesis, while also nominating pathways that may impede circuit rewiring following neonatal hypoxia. Altogether...

Neural networks must balance excitation and inhibition throughout development and maturity. Many neural disorders are associated with an imbalance of excitation and inhibition, including spasticity, seizure activity, and several neurodevelopmental disorders.

Mitochondria are essential organelles that perform hundreds of biochemical reactions essential for processes beyond the generation of ATP. The last decade has seen an explosion in our understanding of the cell biology of mitochondria, providing a renewed understanding of their contribution to neurological diseases.

At the 2015 International Neuroethics Society annual meeting in Chicago, Nita Farahany and a panel from the Football Players Health Study (FPHS) at Harvard University headlined the public talk, “Is professional football safe? Can it be made safer?” The panel declined to provide direct answers to these important questions, but the short answers are “No,” and “Not by much,” respectively.

Do you shy away from having difficult conversations with your mentor or mentee? Develop and learn to use tools that will help you design and build positive and productive relationships in any circumstance. Samantha Sutton, a life and career coach and founder of Samantha Sutton, Ph.D. Life Solutions, shares ways to evaluate and improve communications in this video series.

One of the most important decisions you’ll make in graduate school is choosing the lab where you’ll do your thesis research.