Stephen M. Johnson
Comparative Biosciences
Research Program
Cellular mechanisms underlying neuroplasticity in the spinal cord using in vitro brainstem/spinal cord preparations from mice and turtles that spontaneously produce respiratory motor output. Our hypothesis is that descending synaptic inputs to respiratory spinal motoneurons express changes in synaptic efficacy following different patterns of activity, spinal cord injury, or activation of specific spinal receptors. Also, the investigaion of how respiratory rhythm is generated and modulated in vertebrates using isolated in vitro brainstems from turtles. Our working hypothesis is that turtle respiratory rhythm generation requires neurons with intrinsic pacemaker properties.
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