Sounds in silence: How the ear initiates activity in the auditory system before hearing begins |
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| Air date: | Monday, November 02, 2009, 12:00:00 PM Time displayed is Eastern Time, Washington DC Local |
| Category: | Neuroscience |
| Description: | Dr. Bergles' lab is interested in understanding the mechanisms by which neurons and glial cells interact to support normal communication in the nervous system. Neurons transmit information at specialized synaptic junctions, points of contact where action potentials elicit the release of a chemical neurotransmitter. Neurotransmission at excitatory synapses involves the vesicular release of glutamate, diffusion and binding of glutamate to various receptors, and uptake of glutamate by transporters. Transporters are critical for ensuring that receptors are available to bind glutamate during subsequent release events, as well as for limiting receptor activation so that excitotoxic damage does not occur. Transporters may also shape the activation of receptors on a more rapid time scale during synaptic transmission. Because transporters play a critical role in glutamate homeostasis, understanding their function has relevance for numerous afflictions, such as stroke, epilepsies, and neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
A related area of research in our lab involves the study of these pathways and their roles in development and synaptic physiology. The recent discovery of glutamatergic synapses between pyramidal neurons and oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) in the hippocampus has raised many questions about the involvement of these neuro-glial junctions in regulating OPC differentiation, as well as the role of these "progenitor cells" in hippocampal physiology. They are currently studying these neuro-glial synapses though whole-cell recordings from identified OPCs, and dual pyramidal neuron-OPC recordings in hippocampal slices. As glutamate receptor signaling may regulate oligodendrocyte development and thus myelination, these studies may lead to new approaches for stimulating re-myelination after injury or disease. For more information see our website - http://neuroseries.info.nih.gov |
| Author: | Dwight Bergles, Ph.D., The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine |
| Runtime: | 75 minutes |
| Download: | Download
Video How to download a Videocast |
| CIT File ID: | 15405 |
| CIT Live ID: | 8080 |
| Permanent link: | http://videocast.nih.gov/launch.asp?15405 |
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Enhanced Audio Podcast | 59:43 |
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Enhanced Video Podcast | 59:43 | |