Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Systems Neuroscience Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 4 of 4

Full-Text Articles in Systems Neuroscience

Characterization Of A Descending Neuron That Modulates Flight Performance And Provides Input Onto A Flight-Related Predictive Motor Circuit, Andisheh Balouchi Jan 2025

Characterization Of A Descending Neuron That Modulates Flight Performance And Provides Input Onto A Flight-Related Predictive Motor Circuit, Andisheh Balouchi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Descending neurons (DNs) play a critical role in sensorimotor integration by relaying motor information to the ventral nerve cord (VNC). Within the VNC, local interneurons, other DNs, and ascending neurons (ANs) make circuits with sensory and motor neurons to modify flies’ behavior. One important AN pair in Drosophila Melanogaster is mesothoracic ascending histaminergic neurons (MsAHNs), which are known to convey predictive wing motor signals to the brain. DNg32 is the primary upstream synaptic partner of MsAHNs, integrating DNg32 input with other inputs to generate predictive motor signals. The goals of this study were to 1) map the synaptic connectivity of …


Sources And Termination Patterns Of Cholinergic Input To The Ventral Nucleus Of The Lateral Lemniscus, Emily Echols Jan 2024

Sources And Termination Patterns Of Cholinergic Input To The Ventral Nucleus Of The Lateral Lemniscus, Emily Echols

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Neurons transmit signals through an electrochemical reaction: synapses on dendrites and the cell body receive neurotransmitters, and their effect on the cell determines the signal the cell will transmit. From dendrites to axon and then to another cell at a synaptic cleft, signals can propagate, enhance each other, or inhibit other transmissions until the message is received by the target area. Understanding the science behind neural signaling and structural function begins at the level of the synapse. The neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) plays a substantial role in modulating neural activity in the auditory system, but for many brainstem nuclei the source …


Quantifying Psychostimulant-Induced Sensitization Effects On Dopamine And Acetylcholine Release Across Different Timescales, Georg Lange Feb 2023

Quantifying Psychostimulant-Induced Sensitization Effects On Dopamine And Acetylcholine Release Across Different Timescales, Georg Lange

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Drug-induced behavioral sensitization describes the phenomenon that behavioral response to a drug of abuse is getting stronger if the same psychostimulant is delivered multiple times which is much more pronounced if done in the same environmental context. A proposed neural basis is the formation of an association between contextual cues and the rewarding drug which is mediated by dopamine. Dopamine operates at different timescales and to fully understand dopamine sensitization, it is necessary to investigate dopamine release at slow (tens of minutes) but also faster (sub-second) timescales. But creating a holistic view has been difficult due to a lack of …


Organization And Development Of Cholinergic Input To The Mouse Visual Thalamus., Guela Sokhadze Aug 2018

Organization And Development Of Cholinergic Input To The Mouse Visual Thalamus., Guela Sokhadze

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cholinergic signaling plays a vital role in modulating the flow of sensory information through thalamic circuits in a state-dependent manner. In the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN), the thalamic visual relay, release of acetylcholine (ACh) contributes to enhanced thalamocortical transfer of retinal signal during behavioral states of arousal, wakefulness, and sleep/wake transitions. Moreover, ACh modulates activity of the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN), a structure which provides inhibitory input to dLGN. While several cholinergic nuclei have been shown to innervate dLGN and TRN, it is unclear how projections from each area are organized. Furthermore, little is known of how or when …