James Conner, Ph.D.
Associate Project Scientist

Current Research

Cortical plasticity associated with the reorganization of motor and sensory representations has been proposed as a mechanism for mediating normal learning and in supporting functional recovery following nervous system injury. Elucidating the neural basis for this form of plasticity will undoubtedly play a critical role in understanding how our life experiences become encoded into long-lasting memories that shape our future behaviors, and will be an essential step in designing strategies for enhancing functional recovery following injury to the nervous system. Our recent work has demonstrated that the basal forebrain cholinergic system plays an essential role in enabling cortical plasticity associated with normal motor learning and is required for plasticity mechanisms supporting functional recovery after injury. One major avenue of research currently being pursued by our group is to understand the physiological basis by which brain cholinergic systems contribute to cortical plasticity. Electrophysiological techniques are used to examine how acetylcholine specifically modifies synaptic events related to cortical reorganization. A second major effort by our group is to investigate whether the basal forebrain cholinergic system is a potential therapeutic target for enhancing functional outcomes after injury. Various approaches for modifying cholinergic function are being investigated, examining their impact on behavior, as well as on the plasticity of synaptic connections and cortical maps.


Recent Publicatons

Ramanathan D, Conner JM and Tuszynski MH. A form of motor cortical plasticity that correlates with recovery of function after brain injury. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2006): 103:11370-11375.

Conne, JM, Chiba A, and Tuszynski MH. The basal forebrain cholinergic system is essential for cortical plasticity and functional recovery following brain injury. Neuron (2005): 46: 173-179.

Conner, JM, Culberson AC, Packowski C, Chiba A and Tuszynski MH. Lesions of the basal forebrain cholinergic system impair task acquisition and abolish cortical plasticity associated with motor skill learning. Neuron (2003): 38:819-829.