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| Dr. Robertson's Research Description |
 (Click Image to View) Labeled Perforant Path Axons |
 (Click Image to View) AChE Activity in Developing Neocortex |
 (Click Image to View) AChE Binding in Cortex |
 (Click Image to View) Thalamocortical Neurons |
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Primary Research Interests The focus of this laboratory is the study of mechanisms of development of the cerebral cortex. Attention is paid to migration and subsequent differentiation of cortical neurons, patterns of ingrowth of cortical afferents and development of connectivity, and the role of afferent ingrowth in the development and differentiation of cerebral cortical neurons. Particular attention is focused on understanding the development of cholinergic afferents from the basal forebrain, including the neurotrophic requirements for development and maintenance of these projections. Research Approach This laboratory studies cortical development using both in vivo approaches and in vitro tissue culture preparations. Experiments use a combination of morphological and molecular approaches, including light microscopy, laser confocal fluorescent microscopy, and electron microscopy along with immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization in a pursuit of cues leading to understanding the mechanisms of development of the cerebral cortex. Applications of This Research Cholinergic cortical afferents are particularly interesting because their atrophy is one of the pronounced characteristics of Alzheimer's Disease. Attention also is focused on the development of "specific" afferents from the dorsal thalamus, with particular emphasis on the role of transiently expressed acetylcholinesterase activity in thalamocortical development. |
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