6th ANNUAL RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM

6th ANNUAL RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM
THE SIERRA NEVADA CHAPTER OF THE SOCIETY FOR NEUROSCIENCE
Friday, November 21st, 2014
Center for Molecular Medicine (CMM) Auditorium (rm111)
University of Nevada School of Medicine
Morning Session10:15-10:30
Opening Comments
10:30-10:55
Dr. Ruben Dagda “PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1) and protein kinase A (PKA) form
a new neuroprotective signaling axis”
10:55-11:20
Dr. Fang Jiang “Auditory motion processing after early blindness”.
11:20-11:35*Dr. Perez Flores MC, Zhou J, Dou H, Kim HJ, Sihn C, Li N, Meredith AL, Karl
Pfeifer & Ebenezer N. Yamoah “Elementary Properties of K+ Channels Responsible for
K+ extrusion in the Endolymphatic Sac .“
11:35-11:50
*Andrew Coia & Michael A. Crognale “Disambiguating real and illusory
surface colors.
11:50- 1:00
- - - Coffee Break, Snacks, Poster Session in Foyer - - - .
Afternoon Session
1:00-1:25
Dr. Pedro Miura "CNS-specific 3’UTR lengthening: scope, regulation and function".
1:25-1:40
*Kurtresha L. Worden, Yoshi Aso, Gerald M. Rubin, Alex C. Keene & Pavel Masek
“Mapping of Aversive Gustatory Memory Circuit”.
1:40-1:55
*Dr. Leonie Durnin, Sung Jin Hwang, Masaaki Kurahashi, Bernard T. Drumm, Sean
M. Ward, Kent C. Sasse, Kenton M. Sanders & Violeta N. Mutafova-Yambolieva
“Uridine adenosine tetraphosphate is a novel neurogenic P2Y1 receptor activator in the
gut”
1:55-2:10
*Dr. Alissa D. Winkler & Michael A. Webster “ Turning silver to gold: blue-yellow
asymmetries in color perception”.
2:10-2:35
Dr. Laurel Pritchard "Effects of neonatal maternal separation on behavioral and
neural responses to methamphetamine."
2:35-2:55
Dr. Lars Strother “The visual cortical basis of form perception and word recognition”
2:55-3:55
- - -Posters in Foyer - - -
3:55-4:10
Announcements/Chapter Report
Keynote Speaker
4:10-5:00
Dr. Ebenezer Yamoah “Changing the paradigm in sensory physiology: Distinction
between primary receptors and neurons is blurred" (abstract on following page).
5:00-6:00
- - - Posters in Foyer - - -
* Denotes Post-Doc/Student talk
6th ANNUAL RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM
THE SIERRA NEVADA CHAPTER OF THE SOCIETY FOR NEUROSCIENCE
Friday, November 21st, 2014
Ebenezer Yamoah- Keynote Speaker
Changing the Paradigm in Sensory Physiology:
Distinction Between Primary Receptors and Neurons is Blurred
In stark contrast to prevalent notions, recent findings suggest that primary neurons, such as
ganglion cells of the retina and somatosensory dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons utilize
melanopsin and mechanically-activated channels (MACs), respectively, to modulate sensory
perception. Thus, the classical distinction between primary sensory receptors and neurons is
gradually fading; giving way to a continuum of sensory receptors that is plastic. We surmised that
similar to DRG neurons, sensory neurons receiving inputs from primary mechanoreceptors are
also endowed with MACs, which upon activation regulate outputs from the primary receptors. In
keeping with this growing paradigm shift in sensory information processing, we asserted that in
the mammalian cochlea, primary afferent neurons, spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs), which receive
outputs from mechano-sensitive hair cells (HC) are mechanically active to sense basilar
membrane (BM) motions. Mechanically-activated (MA) currents in SGNs modulate auditory
nerve excitation, and thus, the MACs form an integral part of the micromechanical filter in the
sensory organ of Corti (OC). We further predict that MACs in SGNs serve as sensors for target
hair cell (HC) recognition, and their activation strengthens SGN/HC synapse formation. We are
testing the novel hypothesis and establishing unambiguously that SGNs serve not only as primary
auditory neurons, but also as secondary receptors, sensing mechanical motion of the BM and
regulating the phase locking properties of the input-output functions of the auditory system.
Thus, we invoke a paradigm shift in sensory physiology. We will show that
mechanosensitivity of SGNs is a bona fide component of their phase locked properties, that
defines their remarkable sensitivity.
6th ANNUAL RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM
THE SIERRA NEVADA CHAPTER OF THE SOCIETY FOR NEUROSCIENCE
Friday, November 21st, 2014
Poster Session
Distinct genetic architecture underlies the convergence of foraging-related traits in the
Mexican Cavefish. B. Robinson, P. Masek, K. O’Quin, W.R. Jeffery, M. Yoshizawa, & A.C.
Keene
Functional Effects of Semaphorin3A on Membrane Excitability in Spiral Ganglion
Neurons. V. Wong, M. Meadows, E. Yamoah
Eye movements to manipulable objects are predicted by frequency of use. R.M. Skiba & J.C.
Snow
The functional end of manipulable objects attracts covert visual attention. K. Kirkeby, R.M.
Skiba & J.C. Snow
Real-world objects are recalled better, and sooner, than photographs of objects. M.
Compton & J.C. Snow
Implied action affordance facilitates visual search efficiency M. Gomez & J.C. Snow
PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1) and protein kinase A (PKA) form a new neuroprotective
signaling axis. R.K. Dagda, T.D. Banerjee & G. Craviso
PRRG4 is a functional homolog of Drosophila Commissureless. E.D. Justice, S.
Barnum & T. Kidd
Stepwise Mechanisms for Hearing Loss in NOD/LtJ Mice. J.H. Lee, H.J. Kim, W.
Wang, & E.N. Yamoah
Walking with Cornsweet: Polarity reversals induce illusory motion percepts. C.D. Blair, L.
Strother & G. Caplovitz
translin is a novel regulator of insulin function that is required for metabolic regulation of
sleep. M.E. Yurgel, K. Murakami, P. Masek, M. Slocumb, J. Diangelo, A.C. Keene
6th ANNUAL RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM
THE SIERRA NEVADA CHAPTER OF THE SOCIETY FOR NEUROSCIENCE
Friday, November 21st, 2014
Poster Session, continued
Summary statistics influence how individuals are perceived in noise. K.W Killebrew, C.D.
Blair & G.P Caplovitz
Minimally distinct border estimates of macular pigment distribution. J.E. Vanston & M.A.
Crognale
Genetic tools for the analysis of Drosophila stomatogastric nervous system development. K.
Hernandez, L. Myers, M. Bowser & T. Kidd
The Neural Fate of Individual Item Representations in Visual Working Memory G. Gurariy,
D. Peterson, M. Berryhill, G. Caplovitz
Serotonergic axons navigate through the neural tube using floor plate signals. H. Lee, M.
Kim, C. Wilhelm, B.Kara, T.M Fontelonga & G. Mastick
Enhanced sleep is an evolutionarily adaptive response to starvation stress. J.M. Regalado
M.E. Slocumb, M. Yoshizawa, G.G. Neely, P. Masek, A.G. Gibbs & A.C. Keene
** We would like to
thank Dr. Gerardo
Rodriguez for helping
to support our Chapter
Symposium (yet
again).