Jeffrey J. Ekstrand
| Years in MSTP | 1992-2002 |
| PhD | Neuroscience, 2000 |
| Mentor | Lewis B. Haberly |
| Thesis |
New Insights Into Mechanisms of Somatic Inhibition from Combined Physiological, Morphological, and Immunocytochemical Analysis in Piriform Cortex |
| Residency |
Pediatrics, Mattel Children's Hospital, UCLA |
| Fellowship |
Pediatric neurology, Mattel Children's Hospital, UCLA |
| Investigative Research | Clinical research |
| Current Position |
Assistant professor, pediatrics, University of Utah |
Thesis Abstract
In recent years it has been become apparent that neuronal circuitry in the cerebral cortex includes a bewildering variety of inhibitory neurons whose functional roles are largely unknown. My thesis research used a combination of physiological, morphological, and immunocytochemical analysis to study inhibitory processes in the piriform cortex-alpha phylogenetically old form of cerebral cortex with special features that may facilitate a bridging of the understanding of neuronal mechanisms and function.
The thesis focuses on synaptically mediated processes in cell bodies. The results show that rather than a unitary feedback process that auto-regulates excitability as once believed, somatic-region inhibition is highly complex and may have a number of functional roles. Two phases of somatic inhibition were demonstrated that are mediated by multiple populations of interneurons that are in feedforward as well as feedback loops, have different, intricately crafted dendritic and axonal specializations, exhibit different voltage-dependent behaviors, and may release CCK and VIP together with GABA in a specific temporal order.
Implications of the results will be discussed with regard to normal function and epilepsy, the relationship of somatic and dendritic inhibition, and the ongoing controversy regarding "lumping" and "splitting" interpretations of neuronal diversity.
Publications
Ekstrand JJ, Domroese ME, Feig SL, Illig KR, Haberly LB. 2001. Immunocytochemical analysis of basket cells in rat piriform cortex. J Comparative Neurol 434:308-28.
Ekstrand JJ, Domroese ME, Johnson DM, Feig SL, Knodel SM, Behan M, Haberly LB. 2001. A new subdivision of anterior piriform cortex and associate deep nucleus with novel features of interest for olfaction and epilepsy. J Comparative Neurol 434:289-307.