Biological Division

It is a widely accepted fact that the neocortex is a likely site of storage for most memories; however, the process for storage and subsequent retrieval of learned information in the neocortex still eludes us. I am interested in understanding this process; how does the neocortex store and retrieve information. My laboratory will utilize forebrain dependent behavioral paradigms in conjunction with anatomical, molecular and electrophysiological techniques in rodents to characterize learning induced neocortical plasticity not only in young , but also characterize how this plasticity and the underlying mechanism necessary for inducing the plasticity is altered with age and in rodent models of various neurological disorders.

Representative Publications:

• Galvez, R., Flores, L., Weible, A., Disterhoft, J., Acquisition of whisker trace-eyeblink associations modulates neuronal activity in the posterior medial barrel subfield; implications for a primary somatosensory neocortical role in timing of the conditioned response and as a site of memory consolidation. In Prep.
• Galvez, R., Cua, S., Disterhoft, J., Age-dependent learning deficits in a forebrain-dependent paradigm, trace eyeblink conditioning, coincide with neocortical plasticity. Submitted.
• Galvez, R., Weiss, C., Cua, S., Disterhoft, J., A novel method for precisely timed stimulation of mouse whiskers in a freely moving preparation; application for delivery of the conditioned stimulus in trace eyeblink conditioning. J Neurosci. Methods. In Press (2008).
• Galvez, R., Weible, A., Disterhoft, J., Cortical barrel lesions impair whisker-CS trace eyeblink conditioning. Learning & Memory. 14 p.84-93 (2007).
• Galvez, R., Weiss, C., Weible, A., Disterhoft, J., Vibrissa-signaled eyeblink conditioning induces somatosensory cortical plasticity. J Neurosci. 26 p.6062-8 (2006).