Ewch i’r prif gynnwys

Yr Athro Kevin Fox

Athro

Ysgol y Biowyddorau

Trosolwyg

Mechanisms Controlling Synaptic Plasticity in the Cerebral Cortex

The cerebral cortex is highly developed in humans. It is that part of the brain which gives us our distinctively human qualities; planning, imagination, speech, vision and conscious thought, to name but a few. The cerebral cortex is also thought to play an important role in long-term memory.

How does the cortex process information and how does it store new information, in other words how does it remember? We are studying these questions in an area of the brain that processes tactile information. We record neuronal activity and measure the way sensory processing is modified by experience. We can look into the brain using advanced microscopy and see how the synapses in the brain are altered by modified sensory experience or by natural learning. We can see how the brain changes when learning to distinguish between different tactile textures.

Our earlier work established the role played by several of the molecules involved in synaptic plasticity such as NMDA receptors, CaMKII, AMPA and Nitric oxide synthase. Currently we are studying the neuronal circuits that control and activate these synaptic mechanisms to create memory circuits.

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Erthyglau

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  • Fox, K. D. 2008. Barrel cortex. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Ymchwil

Mechanisms Underlying Neuronal Plasticity in the Cerebral Cortex

The cerebral cortex is most highly developed in humans. It is that part of the brain which gives us our distinctively human qualities. How does the cortex process information and how does it store new information, in other words, how does it remember? We are studying these questions in an area of the brain that processes tactile information. We record neuronal activity and measure the way sensory processing is modified by experience (experience-dependent plasticity). We can test whether particular proteins are necessary for plasticity and recent results show that a major post-synaptic protein known as CAMKII is crucial for plasticity in this area of the cortex. Studies on synaptic plasticity implicate the GluR1 subunit of the AMPA channel and neuronal Nitric oxide synthase, the enzyme that makes nitric oxide are responsible for post- and pres-synaptic components of potentiation respectively. We are studying all these questions in an area of the somatosensory cortex known as the Barrel cortex. This area of the brain has been intensively studied over recent years in an effort to understand sensory processing, cortical development and cortical plasticity. More information on barrel cortex can be found in this newly published book.

We are also using forward genetic approaches to discover novel molecules involved in plasticity in collaboration with the NIMH funded Conte Centre for Plasticity and Memory, linking Cardiff University, UCLA and UCSF in a three-way collaboration.

Active grants

  • MRC Program grant "Anatomical and molecular pathways for cortical plasticity"
  • NIH Conte Centre Grant "Forward genetic approaches to mechanisms of cortical plasticity"
  • MRC co-operative grant "Plasticity learning and memory"

Collaborations

  • Karel Svoboda, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA
  • Alcino Silva, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
  • Michael Stryker, UCSF, San Fransisco, CA
  • Joshua Trachtenberg, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
  • Mark Good, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
  • Frank Sengpiel, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK

Affiliated staff

  • Neil Hardingham
  • Nick Wright
  • James Dachtler
  • Adam Ransom
  • Phil Blanning
  • Vincent Jacob
  • Stuart Greenhill
  • John Anderson
  • Tim Gould

Bywgraffiad

Pwyllgorau ac adolygu

Ar hyn o bryd rwy'n gwasanaethu ar is-banel 5 REF 2021 (Gwyddorau Biolegol)

Contact Details

Email FoxKD@caerdydd.ac.uk
Telephone +44 29208 74632
Campuses Adeilad Syr Martin Evans, Ystafell Cardiff School of Biosciences, The Sir Martin Evans Building, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, Rhodfa'r Amgueddfa, Caerdydd, CF10 3AX

External profiles