People
| Research Interests |
Recent
Publications | Courses Offered | Current
Funding | Links
| BRET
N. SMITH, PH.D.
Associate Professor Tel: (504) 862-3150 Fax: (504) 865-6785 |
BNSmith@tulane.edu |
LAB
KREWE
Andrei V. Derbenev, Ph.D. |
|
M. Deepak Bhaskaran Predoctoral Student |
Hong Gao Predoctoral Student |
Kevin W. Williams Predoctoral Student |
Dan Liu, M.S. |
People | Research Interests | Recent Publications | Courses Offered | Current Funding | Links | Top
Neuronal
Interactions in the Mammalian Brain
Research in this laboratory
is aimed at understanding the mechanisms underlying functional synaptic
connectivity, modulation, and plasticity of neuronal systems. Using whole-cell
electrophysiological techniques in acute slice preparations combined with
immunochemical, histochemical, neuropharmacological, and molecular biological
methods, we are conducting studies to determine how chemical modulation
of synaptic function in brainstem autonomic control centers regulates visceral
sensory-motor integration as well as how neural circuit organization and
remodeling contribute to development of epilepsy. The specific areas of
study are:
People | Research Interests | Recent Publications | Courses Offered | Current Funding | Links | Top
Smith, B.N., Dou, P., Barber, W.D., and Dudek, F.E. (1998) Vagally-evoked synaptic activity in the immature rat nucleus tractus solitarius in an intact in vitro preparation. J. Physiol. (Lond), 512:149-162.
Pickard, G.E., Smith, B.N., Belenky, M., Rea, M.A., Dudek, F.E., Sollars, P.J. (1999) 5-HT1B receptor-mediated presynaptic inhibition of retinal input to the suprachiasmatic nucleus. J. Neuroscience, 19:4034-4045.
Smith, B.N., Banfield, B., Smeraski, C.A., Wilcox, C.L., Dudek, F.E., Enquist, L.W., and Pickard, G.E. (2000) Pseudorabies virus expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein: A tool for in vitro electrophysiological analysis of transsynaptically labeled neurons in identified central nervous system circuits. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 97:9264-9269.
Smith, B.N. and Dudek, F.E. (2001) Short- and long-term changes in CA1 network excitability after kainate treatment in rats. J. Neurophysiol., 85:1-9.
Smith, B.N. and Dudek, F.E. (2002) Network interactions mediated by new excitatory connections between CA1 pyramidal cells in rats with kainate-induced epilepsy J. Neurophysiol., 87:1655-1658.
Shibley, H. and Smith, B.N. (2002) Pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus results in mossy fiber sprouting and spontaneous seizures in C57BL/6 and CD-1 mice. Epilepsy Res., 49:109-120.
Smith, B.N., Davis, S.F., van den Pol, A.N., and Xu, W. (2002) Selective enhancement of excitatory synaptic activity in the rat nucleus tractus solitarius by hypocretin 2. Neuroscience, 115:707-714.
Davis, S.F., Williams, K.W., Xu, W., Glatzer, N.R., and Smith, B.N. (2003) Selective enhancement of synaptic inhibition by hypocretin (orexin) in rat vagal motor neurons: Implications for autonomic regulation. J. Neuroscience, 23:3844-3854.
Glatzer, N.R., Hasney, C.P., Bhaskaran, M.D., and Smith, B.N. (2003) Synaptic and morphological properties in vitro of premotor rat nucleus tractus solitarius neurons labeled transneuronally from the stomach. J. Comp. Neurol., 464:525-539.
Winokur, R.S. Kubal, T., Liu, D., Davis, S.F. and Smith, B.N. (2004) Recurrent excitation in the dentate gyrus of a murine model of temporal lobe epilepsy. Epilepsy Res., 58:93-105.
Davis, S.F., Derbenev, A.V., Williams, K.W., Glatzer, N.R., and Smith, B.N. (2004) Excitatory and inhibitory local circuit input to the rat dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus originating from the nucleus tractus solitarius. BrainRes., 1017:208-217.
Derbenev, A.V., Stuart, T.C., and Smith, B.N. (2004) Cannabinoids suppress synaptic input to neurones of the rat dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 559:923-938.
Glatzer, N.R. and Smith, B.N. (2005) Modulation of synaptic transmission in the rat nucleus of the solitary tract by endomorphin-1. J. Neurophysiol. 93:2530-2540.
Williams, K.W. and Smith, B.N. (2006) Rapid inhibition of neural excitability in the nucleus tractus solitarii by leptin: implications for ingestive behaviour. J Physiol. (Lond) 573:395-412.
People | Research Interests | Recent Publications | Courses Offered | Current Funding | Links | Top
CELL
663 - Cellular Neurophysiology
Prerequisite: CELL 331-Introduction
to Neuroscience (Cellular Neuroscience). Advanced course designed to give
the beginning/middle level graduate or upper level undergraduate student
an in-depth view of a few current topics in the physiology of neurons and
neuronal circuits, concentrating primarily, though not exclusively, on
electrophysiological studies. It is part lecture and part journal club
in format, i.e., for each topic covered, an overview of the topic is presented
by the instructor, followed by student presentations of key papers from
the literature. Class participation in the form of group discussion is
strongly emphasized. Examples of topics covered in past classes are voltage-gated
membrane currents, excitatory and inhibitory amino acid neurotransmission,
long-term potentiation, and in vitro models of epilepsy. The goal of the
course is to allow students to gain insight into some of the topical issues
in neuroscience while acquiring an understanding of modern methods in cellular
neurophysiology.
 |
National Institutes of Health - National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; #RO1 DK56132 "Neural Circuitry in the Caudal Solitary Complex" 06/01/2001-04/30/2006. |
|
National Institutes of Health - National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; #RO1 DK56132-04S (SCRO Supplement) "Glucocorticoid regulation of central feeding circuits" 08/01/2004-04/30/2006. |
|
National Institutes of Health - National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke; #R21 NS052302 "Cannabinoid modulation of epileptiform activity in mice" 07/01/2005-06/30/2007. |
 |
National Science Foundation - Bilogical Sciences - Integrative Organismal Biology; #IOB-0518209 "Peptidergic modulation of GABA neurons in the Dorsal Vagal Complex" 08/01/2005-07/31/2008. |
People | Research Interests | Recent Publications | Courses Offered | Current Funding | Links| Top
American
Journal of Physiology
Annual
Reviews Neuroscience
Journal
of Comparative Neurology
Journal
of Neurophysiology
Journal
of Neuroscience
Journal
of Physiology
Nature
Nature
Neuroscience
Neuron
Pharmacological
Reviews
Physiological
Reviews
PNAS
Science
ScienceDirect
Synapse
National
Science Foundation
National
Institutes of Health
CRISP
(NIH grants)
Whole
Brain Atlas
Visible
Human Project
Bezanilla's
Electrophysiology Site
W.
Calvin's site at U. Washington
D.
Gardner's site at Cornell
T.
Cannon's NeuroLinks
Neurosciences
on the Internet
 |
 |
People | Research Interests | Recent Publications | Courses Offered | Current Funding | Links | Top