Neuroscientific Expertise

Although the Institute has general interests in the structure, functions, and pathologies of the cingulate cortex, we have developed specific areas of expertise that often proves valuable in consulting, grant proposals, and other ventures. These specific areas of interest include but are not limited to the following:

Structure

Cytoarchitecture; Human, Monkey, Rabbit, Rat
Stereology
General Immunohistochemistry
Thalamic and cortical connections; Monkey, Rabbit, Rat
Calcium-binding proteins
Intermediate neurofilament proteins

Pharmacology

Opioid receptor localization and function; rodent, lagomorph, monkey, human
Muscarinic acetylcholine receptor localization; rodent, monkey
G-protein transduction mechanisms and localization; rodent
Receptor localization with immunotoxin lesion technique; rodent

Imaging for Drug Development

Morphometric MRI
Functional MRI
PET

Function

Nociceptive properties of neurons in rabbit, rat and monkey cingulate cortices
Pain processing in human
Mechanisms of avoidance learning and memory in rabbit

Functional Imaging

Morphometrics
Surface Rendering
Statistical Parametric Mapping
Actions of drugs in isoflurane-anesthetized monkeys

Complex Regression Statistics

Principal Components Analysis
Multiple regression analysis
Abstract factor testing
Models of human brain structure and patient characteristics

Neuropathology

Alzheimer’s disease; clinicopathological subgroups

There is evidence from posterior cingulate area 23a that Alzheimer’s disease is comprised of five neuropathological subtypes (NST). These subgroups are based on differential laminar patterns of neurodegeneration as reported by Vogt, et al (1998; Experimental Neurology 153:8-22) Here we used Principal Components Analysis to evaluate associations among cases with similar patterns of cell death. This is an eigenvector projection demonstrating coherence among individuals in each statistical subgroup.

On a recent visit to CNSI, Dr. George Paxinos (below, at right) reviewed the cytological structure of each cingulate area in his large macrophotographs through the entire rat brain with Dr. Vogt. Dr. Paxinos’ atlases of the rat brain are among the most frequently used and cited in neuroscience research. In the third edition of Rat Nervous System (Paxinos, ed., 2004) there appears a chapter on cingulate cortex by Vogt, Vogt, and Farber and much of this information is provided under the heading Rat in this website. During his visit to CNSI, Dr. Paxinos also lectured to the faculty at SUNY Upstate Medical University on "Brain, Evolution, and Behavior."