Seminar by Dr. Henrique von Gersdorff from Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University

The Gradutate School would like to invite you to the seminar of Dr. Henrique von Gersdorff.

Abstract:

The mammalian auditory system has specialized synapses at several different stages. For example, ribbon-type synapses in the cochlea and calyx-type synapses in the brainstem. The calyx of Held synapse in the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB) is a pivotal relay station that is involved in computing the localization of sounds. The binaural cue employed is the difference in sound intensity received by the two cochlea. Contralateral inhibitory input via the MNTB and excitatory input from the ipsilateral cochlear nucleus are received by the neurons in the lateral superior olive (LSO), where the two binaural signals are first integrated. It is thought that microsecond differences in the arrival of spikes at the LSO are then used to efficiently pinpoint the locus of high-frequency sounds. How do the intrinsic membrane properties, synaptic currents, and short-term plasticity change during development at LSO neurons so as to guarantee a high fidelity of transmission? My seminar will discuss recent data we have obtained on the remarkable properties of LSO neurons and their synapses during early postnatal development.

Biography:

Henrique von Gersdorff earned a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Minnesota and a Ph.D. in Neurobiology from Stony Brook University in New York. He received his B.S. in Physics from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. He was a postdoctoral fellow at Stony Brook University and the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in Göttingen, Germany. He is currently a Senior Scientist and Professor at the Vollum Institute and the Dept. of Physiology and Pharmacology at OHSU.