Research Interest
Role of experience in the development of the nervous system;
analyses of the neuroanatomy, electrophysiology, neuro-pharmacology and
development of the auditory system using both whole animal and brain slice
techniques.
Current Research
Much of our current research makes use of a brain slice
preparation of the avian brain stem auditory system. The three general
lines of research currently active in my laboratory are highlighted below.
The three listed publications provide examples from each of these areas
of interest. This work is currently funded by a grant from the National
Institute on Deafness and Other Communications Disorders (NIDCD).
Experiential influences: Sensory experience has a dramatic influence
on the development o the nervous system. In the auditory system, for example,
early deafness results in the neuronal death and atrophy. Somehow, auditory
experience keeps these neurons healthy. We are attempting to identify the
important activity -dependent signal(s) for cell survival in this system
and determine the cellular mechanisms of their action.
Neuropharmacology: One of the major inhibitory neurotransmitters
in the brain is GABA. We have described and unusual type of GABA receptor
in the brain stem auditory system of the chick. We are currently using
both electrophysiological and anatomical techniques to further characterize
this receptor.
Neurophysiology: In addition to characterizing physiological responses
produced by transmitter substances, we are investigating how the brain
might encode acoustic information. Specifically, we have been investigating
a neural circuit believed to be involved in coding sound location. Neurons
in this circuit encode the location of a sound based on the differences
in the timing of information coming from the two ears.
Selected Publications
Hyson, R.L. (1999). Transneuronal signals for afferent regulation
in the chick auditory system. In: R.L. Hyson and F. Johnson (Eds.),
The
Biology of Early Influences. Plenum: New York, pp. 87-104.
See Book Abstract
Hyson RL 1998 Activation of metabotropic glutamate receptors is necessary
for transneuronal regulation of ribosomes in chick auditory neurons. Brain
Research, 809: 214-220.
See PubMed Abstract
Brückner S, Hyson, RL 1998 Effect of GABA on the processing
of interaural time differences in nucleus laminaris neurons in the chick,
European Journal of Neuroscience, 10: 3438-3450.
See PubMed Abstract
Hyson RL, Sadler, KA 1997 Differences in expression of GABAA receptor
subunits, but not benzodiazepine binding in the chick brain stem auditory
system. Journal of Molecular Neuroscience, 8:193-205.
See PubMed Abstract
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