Journal of Neurophysiology

Brandon, Christopher; Britton, Matthew; Fan, David; Ferrier, Andrew R.; Hill, Evan S.; Perez, Adrian; Wang, Jean; Wang, Nengding; Frost, William N.

doi: 10.1152/jn.00670.2017pmid: 29873611

Because of the large size and relatively low numbers of their neurons, gastropod mollusks are widely used for investigations of the neural basis of behavior. Most studies, however, focus on the neurons visible on the ganglion surface, leaving the majority, located out of sight below the surface, unexamined. The present light microscopy study generates the first detailed visual atlas of all neurons of the highly studied Tritonia pedal ganglion.

Buss, Aaron T.; Ross-Sheehy, Shannon; Reynolds, Greg D.

doi: 10.1152/jn.00087.2018pmid: 29897858

In this article, we review the literature on the development of visual working memory (VWM). We focus on two major periods of development, infancy and early childhood. First, we discuss the innovative methods that have been devised to understand how the development of selective attention and perception provide the foundation of VWM abilities. We detail the behavioral and neural data associated with the development of VWM during infancy. Next, we discuss various signatures of development in VWM during early childhood in the context of spatial and featural memory processes. We focus on the developmental transition to more adult-like VWM properties. Finally, we discuss computational frameworks that have explained the complex patterns of behavior observed in VWM tasks from infancy to adulthood and attempt to explain links between measures of infant VWM and childhood VWM.

Michalikova, Martina; Remme, Michiel W. H.; Kempter, Richard

doi: 10.1152/jn.00463.2017pmid: 29947587

We addressed the origin of spikelets, using compartmental models of pyramidal neurons. Comparing our simulation results with published extracellular spikelet recordings revealed an axonal origin of spikelets. Our results imply that action potential- and spikelet-associated extracellular waveforms may easily get misclassified as two different cells, albeit they both constitute the output of a single pyramidal cell.

Gimmon, Yoav; Migliaccio, Americo A.; Todd, Christopher J.; Figtree, William V. C.; Schubert, Michael C.

doi: 10.1152/jn.00134.2018pmid: 29947586

Our results indicate that humans have the adaptive capacity for concurrent and opposing directions of vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) motor learning. Context specificity of VOR adaptation is dependent on the error signal being unilateral or bilateral, which we illustrate via a lack of VOR gain transfer using unique adaptive demands.

Hauer, Brandon E.; Negash, Biruk; Chan, Kingsley; Vuong, Wesley; Colbourne, Frederick; Pagliardini, Silvia; Dickson, Clayton T.

doi: 10.1152/jn.00373.2018pmid: 29947598

We show that alterations of oxygen concentration in inspired air biases forebrain EEG state. Hyperoxia increases the prevalence of slow-wave states. Hypoxia and hypercapnia appear to do the opposite. This suggests that oxidative metabolism is an important stimulant for brain state.

Sabino-Carvalho, Jeann L.; Teixeira, André L.; Samora, Milena; Daher, Maurício; Vianna, Lauro C.

doi: 10.1152/jn.00308.2018pmid: 29947592

Patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) presented blunted cardiovascular responses to exercise. We showed that cardiovascular response evoked by the metabolic component of the exercise pressor reflex is blunted in patients with PD. Furthermore, patients with PD presented similar pressor response during the cold pressor test compared with age-matched controls. Altogether, our results support the hypothesis that attenuated cardiovascular responses to exercise observed in patients with PD are mediate by an altered skeletal muscle metaboreflex.

Zhang, Yue; Yanagawa, Yuchio; Saito, Yasuhiko

doi: 10.1152/jn.00168.2018pmid: 29975163

Prepositus hypoglossi nucleus (PHN) neurons show distinct nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR)-mediated current responses. The proportion of the current types differed in the neurons that exhibited different afterhyperpolarization profiles and firing patterns. The nAChR-mediated currents with different kinetics induced firing responses of the neurons that were distinct in the firing frequency and duration. These results suggest that the different properties of the current types in PHN neurons with different membrane properties produce unique firing responses via the activation of nAChRs.

Sawers, Andrew; Bhatt, Tanvi

doi: 10.1152/jn.00286.2018pmid: 29995607

Do falls and recoveries possess distinct neuromuscular features? We identified differences in neuromuscular control between older adults who fell and those who recovered from a “feet-forward” slip. Differences in neuromuscular control were not accompanied by differences in gait or slip kinematics before or during the slip response, suggesting differences in sensorimotor control rather than kinematics dictated the observed differences in neuromuscular control. An analysis of additional mechanical variables is required to confirm this interpretation.

Zubair, Humza N.; Stout, Erik E.; Dounskaia, Natalia; Beloozerova, Irina N.

doi: 10.1152/jn.00324.2018pmid: 29995599

This is the first study to investigate joint control during the swing phase of skilled, accuracy-dependent locomotion in the cat and how this control is altered to adapt to known and unexpected perturbations. We demonstrate that a pattern of joint control that exploits gravitational and interaction torques is used in all conditions and that movement modifications are produced mainly by shoulder muscle torque during the last portion of the movement.

Mattingly, Michelle M.; Donell, Brittany M.; Rosen, Merri J.

doi: 10.1152/jn.00114.2018pmid: 29995598

In children, auditory detection of backward masked signals is immature well into adolescence, and detection deficits correlate with problems in speech processing. Our auditory cortical recordings reveal immature backward masking in adolescent animals that mirrors the prolonged development seen in children. This is driven by both signal-evoked suppression and dynamic range reduction. An extended window of analysis suggests that differences in temporally focused listening may contribute to late maturing thresholds for backward masked signals.