I am interested in the neuronal circuitry of sensory neocortex. I want to understand how neocortical circuitry matures, and ultimately, how it mediates perception, attention, and learning. In addition, I would like to understand how problems in neocortical circuitry contribute to some pathological conditions such as epilepsy. In my lab, electrophysiological techniques, both in vivo and in the brain slice, are used to address these issues.
Currently, I am focusing on a particular class of neocortical neuron - the inhibitory interneuron. There are different subtypes of inhibitory neurons, and little is known about their function and their development. Neural activity, driven by sensory input, has been demonstrated to play a role in the maturation of inhibitory circuitry in sensory neocortex. Little is known about how the electrophysiological, or "functional", properties of inhibitory synapses depend on this neural activity. Nor is it known how the different inhibitory neuron subtypes differ in this process. My goal is to determine the activity-dependent mechanisms for inhibitory synapse maturation for the different inhibitory neuron subtypes. Rats and mice are used to answer these questions because of the many experimental techniques available and because of their similarity to the human brain.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Electrophysiology
Neuroscience
Neuronal Circuits in Neocortex
RECENT PUBLICATIONS
Beierlein, M., Gibson, J. R. and Connors, B. W., "Two Dynamically Distinct Inhibitory Networks in Layer 4 of the Neocortex" Journal of Neurophysiology, 90(5):2987-3000, 2003
Deans, M., Gibson, J. R., Connors, B. W., and Paul, D. L., "Synchronous activity of inhibitory networks in neocortex requires electrical synapses containing connexin36" Neuron, 31:477-485, 2001
Gibson, J. R., Beierlein, M., and Connors, B. W., "Functional Properties of Electrical Synapses Between Inhibitory Neurons of Neocortical Layer 4" J. Neurophysiol., 93(1):467-480, 2005
Gibson, J. R., Bartley, A. F., and Huber, K. M., "A role for the subthreshold currents ILeak and IH in the homeostatic control of excitability in neocortical somatostatin-positive inhibitory neurons" J. Neurophysiol., 96(1):420-432, 2006
Chubykin, A.A., Atasoy, D., Etherton, M.R., Brose, N., Kavalali, E.T., Gibson, J.R., Sudhof, T.C., "Activity-Dependent Validation of Excitatory versus Inhibitory Synapses by Neuroligin-1 versus Neuroligin-2. Neuron" Neuron, 54(6):919-931, 2007
SIGNIFICANT PUBLICATIONS
Gibson, J. R., Beierlein, M., and Connors, B. W., "Two electrically coupled inhibitory networks" Nature, 402(4):75-79, 1999
Gibson, J. R., Bartley, A. F., and Huber, K. M., "A role for the subthreshold currents ILeak and IH in the homeostatic control of excitability in neocortical somatostatin-positive inhibitory neurons" J. Neurophysiol., 96(1):420-432, 2006
Point and right click (click and hold for Mac users) your mouse onand select "Save this link (or target) as..." option to save the file to your local computer.
and select "Save this link (or target) as..." option to save the file to your local computer.