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Name, Field, Position, Department, and Keyword |
Faculty associated with: Robert Clewley Keywords: Computational Neuroscience (13), Mathematical Modeling (14), Motor Systems (13), Mouse (11), Neuromodulation (12) My research is a blend of theoretical investigation, development of computer methods and studies of nonlinear systems that arise in diverse fields of science and engineering. My current work focuses upon the dynamics of systems with multiple time scales, algorithm development for problems involving periodic orbits and upon applications to the neurosciences, animal locomotion and control of nonlinear systems. I have a long standing collaboration with Ron Harris-Warrick and his laboratory. A new joint project is devoted to the development and anlysis of mathematical models for networks in the mouse spinal cord that control hindlimb locomotion. I am also part of a multi-university reserach program that is studying cockroach locomotion and its neuromuscular control. |
Faculty associated with: Christiane Linster, Ann Marie McNamara Keywords: Behavioral genetics (7), Behavioral Neuroscience (9), Cognitive Neuroscience (17), Computational Neuroscience (13), Learning and Memory (13), Mathematical Modeling (14), Mouse (11), Neuromodulation (12), Neurophysiology (5), Olfaction (11), Systems Neuroscience (25) My research concerns how complex cognitive and perceptual phenomena can arise from, and be regulated by, cellular and neural circuit properties. Primarily using the sense of smell (olfaction), my students, colleagues, and I ask how learning, memory, expectation, and like processes shape the transformations performed on sensory inputs by relatively peripheral (i.e., experimentally accessible) cortical circuitry, and how these different transformations in turn influence behavior and subsequent learning. We triangulate on these questions using a range of techniques including electrophysiology, pharmacology, behavior and behavior genetics, and biophysically constrained computational modeling. |
Faculty associated with: Bo Pedersen Keywords: Cognitive Neuroscience (17), Computational Neuroscience (13), Language (5), Vision (11) In my lab, we track people's eye movements and the streaming x,y coordinates of their computer-mouse movements as they perform visual and linguistic tasks. Within the theoretical framework of dynamical systems, we design localist attractor networks to simulate our data. Our findings reveal two main properties of human cognition: 1) continuos processing and graded representations in mapping sensory input to motor output, and 2) rapid interaction beteween visual and linguistic processes. Also visit my Research/Photo Gallery entry |
Faculty Keywords: Arthropods (1), Computational Neuroscience (13), Evolution (5), Motor Systems (13), Neuroethology (24), Sensorimotor Systems (11), Systems Neuroscience (25), Vision (11) I am currently interested in mechanisms of sensory, expecially visual, guidance used by arthropods to approach prey or mates. I approach such mechanisms at the level of neurophysiology, neuroanatomy, behavior and compputational algorithms. At a larger scale I am also interested in evolution of sensory systems. See my other website for further details. |
Faculty Keywords: Aging (6), Cognitive Neuroscience (17), Development (21), Emotion (4), Hippocampus (11), Imaging (8), Individual Differences (Human) (6), Learning and Memory (13), Mathematical Modeling (14) My research covers areas such as human memory and decision-making, statistics and mathematical modeling, psychological assessment, learning, intelligence, cognitive development, learning disability, child abuse, and memory impairments in aging and Alzheimer's Disease. My current research program centers on the relation between memory and higher reasoning abilities in children and adults, and it also focuses on false-memory phenomena. Together with another Cornell Professor, Valerie Reyna, I have developed fuzzy-trace theory, a model of the relation between memory and higher reasoning that has been widely applied within cognitive neuroscinece, medicine, and law. |
Faculty Keywords: Cognitive Neuroscience (17), Development (21), Imaging (8) Matthew Belmonte's research has applied EEG and fMRI to explore brain physiology in people with autism spectrum conditions and in their family members. He also has interests in the development of computational methods for statistical analysis of fMRI and EEG time series, and in the relation of cognitive science to literary representation. |
Faculty associated with: Bernard A Tarr Keywords: Bird Song (2), Cognitive Neuroscience (17), Development (21), Finch (4), Hippocampus (11), Immediate early genes (5), Learning and Memory (13), Neuroethology (24), Vocal Motor Systems (3) I'm interested in neurobiology of learning and memory. My lab studies this using song learning in songbirds, and spatial learning in food-caching birds. Recent findings include the following: 1) Female zebra finches require experience with song during development in order to select normal over poor (isolate) conspecific song. Such birds also have fewer synapses in a an auditory perceptual brain area (Lauay et al., 2004,2005) 2) Species with elaborate song repertoires have larger song production brain areas than those with smaller repertoires (Moore et al., in prep.) 3)Chickadees injected in the hippocampus with an NMDA blocker do not form a long term memory of a food site. A CB-1 blocker causes improved memory for one site--but with reduced ability to modify the memory (Shiflett et al., 2003,2004) 4) Simply housing a chickadee in the lab results in hippocampal shrinkage and reduced survival of new neurons over birds in the wild (Tarr et al., in prep). Also visit my 7 Research/Photo Gallery entries |
Faculty Keywords: caged neurotransmitters (1), Cell and Molecular Neuroscience (23), Ion channel (6), Ligand-activated ion channels (2), Neurotransmitter receptors and transporters (9), Patch clamp (2) We are investigating the structure and function of membrane-bound proteins (neurotransmitter receptors) that control and integrate communication between the cells of the nervous system. Malfunction of the receptors is implicated in many diseases of the nervous system, and the receptor proteins are the targets of a large class of clinically important compounds and abused drugs. Until recently investigation of the mechanism of action of these receptor proteins has been hampered by the lack of techniques with adequate time resolution (microseconds-to-milliseconds). My group has developed new biophysical techniques, most recently a laser-pulse photolysis method using caged neruotranmsitters, for investigating the receptors in cells isolated from specific areas of the nervous system to fill this gap. When a neurotransmitter binds to the active receptor forms, ion-conducting receptor-channels open, initiating electrical signals that transmit information in the nervous system. Whether or not a signal is transmitted depends on the concentration of open receptor-channels. This in turn depends on the neurotransmitter concentration and the length of time receptors are exposed to it. The immediate goal is to determine quantitative models, on a physiologically relevant time scale, for the chemical kinetic reactions of excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitter [acetylcholine, gamma-aminobutyric acid, (GABA), glycine, glutamate, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and serotonin receptors]. This goal has already been achieved with the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor from the electric organ (modified muscle) of certain fish. The eventual aim is to integrate all the available information into a consistent mechanism of signal transmission in the mammalian central nervous system. The chemical mechanism of neurotransmitter receptor-mediated reactions is expected to set limits to the various hypotheses concerning the operation of neuronal circuits and brain function, and to lead to an understanding of the effects of pharmacological agents and abused drugs on receptor function. An interdisciplinary approach, involving physical and organic chemistry, instrument development, molecular biology, electrophysiology, cellular neurobiology, and computer simulation, is being used to achieve these aims. |
Faculty associated with: Bruce P. Halpern Keywords: Aging (6), Olfaction (11) My research is primarily in sensory systems, studying chemosensory functions and behaviors. MY LABORATORY'S FOCUS IS SMELL IN HUMANS. This research is designed to increase knowledge and understanding of retronasal smelling (smelling odorants that are located in the oral cavity) in relation to orthonasal smelling (smelling odorants that are located near the anterior nares [nostrils], typically outside the organism). The term "smelling" is used rather than "olfaction" because odorants can potentially access both the trigeminally-innervated nasal and oral mucosa and the olfactory mucosa of the nasal cavity during normal retronasal or orthonasal presentation of odorants. Subjects are asked to describe the odorants, match them for intensity, indicate their intensity, or distinguish between odorants and their solvents. These descriptions, intensity reports and discriminations are made either once for each odorant presentation or repeatedly during and after an odorant presentation (time-intensity or time-quality measures). Digital computers are used to provide instructions and acquire responses. I'm also interested in AGING AND CHEMOSENSORY PERCEPTION. Human ability to detect or identify odorants often declines with age, but the rate of decline differs between odorants. These differential declines, coupled with lesser changes in tasting ability, can have profound effects on appreciation of flavor, enjoyment of food, quality of life, and, for odorants per se, responses to warning odorants. |
Faculty associated with: Richard A. Depue, Kathleen M. Linnane Keywords: Auditory Neuroscience (5), Cognitive Neuroscience (17), Development (21), Education (1), Imaging (8), Individual Differences (Human) (6), Language (5), Social behavior (12), Stress (8) Dr. Temple's focus is in the fields of developmental cognitive neuroscience and educational neuroscience. This includes both an exploration of the development of neural mechanisms underlying cognitive and emotional processes and how these mechanisms undergo plasticity based on experience, education, disordered development or disease, and /or remediation. This overarching focus is being explored with a number of projects including 1) normal and disordered literacy development and the effect of remediation and education, 2) a newly developing program in neuro-math-ed, the exploration of brain mechanisms involved in mathematical processing - how they develop and are impacted by educational strategies, 3) the effects of stress and trauma on brain function and brain development, and 4) the development and plasticity of the brain mechanisms underlying theory of mind and the effects of culture and language on these brain mechanisms. Dr. Temple is now at Dartmouth College, Hanover NH in the Department of Education and graduate faculty in the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences. She maintains some active collaborations with people at Cornell, but to contact her please use the elise.temple@dartmouth.edu email. |
Please report corrections, questions, comments, and problems to: Lori Miller (lmm8 AT cornell.edu)