6th ANNUAL RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM THE SIERRA NEVADA CHAPTER OF THE SOCIETY FOR NEUROSCIENCE Friday, November 21st, 2014 Center for Molecular Medicine (CMM) Auditorium (rm111) University of Nevada School of Medicine Morning Session10:15-10:30 Opening Comments 10:30-10:55 Dr. Ruben Dagda “PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1) and protein kinase A (PKA) form a new neuroprotective signaling axis” 10:55-11:20 Dr. Fang Jiang “Auditory motion processing after early blindness”. 11:20-11:35*Dr. Perez Flores MC, Zhou J, Dou H, Kim HJ, Sihn C, Li N, Meredith AL, Karl Pfeifer & Ebenezer N. Yamoah “Elementary Properties of K+ Channels Responsible for K+ extrusion in the Endolymphatic Sac .“ 11:35-11:50 *Andrew Coia & Michael A. Crognale “Disambiguating real and illusory surface colors. 11:50- 1:00 - - - Coffee Break, Snacks, Poster Session in Foyer - - - . Afternoon Session 1:00-1:25 Dr. Pedro Miura "CNS-specific 3’UTR lengthening: scope, regulation and function". 1:25-1:40 *Kurtresha L. Worden, Yoshi Aso, Gerald M. Rubin, Alex C. Keene & Pavel Masek “Mapping of Aversive Gustatory Memory Circuit”. 1:40-1:55 *Dr. Leonie Durnin, Sung Jin Hwang, Masaaki Kurahashi, Bernard T. Drumm, Sean M. Ward, Kent C. Sasse, Kenton M. Sanders & Violeta N. Mutafova-Yambolieva “Uridine adenosine tetraphosphate is a novel neurogenic P2Y1 receptor activator in the gut” 1:55-2:10 *Dr. Alissa D. Winkler & Michael A. Webster “ Turning silver to gold: blue-yellow asymmetries in color perception”. 2:10-2:35 Dr. Laurel Pritchard "Effects of neonatal maternal separation on behavioral and neural responses to methamphetamine." 2:35-2:55 Dr. Lars Strother “The visual cortical basis of form perception and word recognition” 2:55-3:55 - - -Posters in Foyer - - - 3:55-4:10 Announcements/Chapter Report Keynote Speaker 4:10-5:00 Dr. Ebenezer Yamoah “Changing the paradigm in sensory physiology: Distinction between primary receptors and neurons is blurred" (abstract on following page). 5:00-6:00 - - - Posters in Foyer - - - * Denotes Post-Doc/Student talk 6th ANNUAL RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM THE SIERRA NEVADA CHAPTER OF THE SOCIETY FOR NEUROSCIENCE Friday, November 21st, 2014 Ebenezer Yamoah- Keynote Speaker Changing the Paradigm in Sensory Physiology: Distinction Between Primary Receptors and Neurons is Blurred In stark contrast to prevalent notions, recent findings suggest that primary neurons, such as ganglion cells of the retina and somatosensory dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons utilize melanopsin and mechanically-activated channels (MACs), respectively, to modulate sensory perception. Thus, the classical distinction between primary sensory receptors and neurons is gradually fading; giving way to a continuum of sensory receptors that is plastic. We surmised that similar to DRG neurons, sensory neurons receiving inputs from primary mechanoreceptors are also endowed with MACs, which upon activation regulate outputs from the primary receptors. In keeping with this growing paradigm shift in sensory information processing, we asserted that in the mammalian cochlea, primary afferent neurons, spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs), which receive outputs from mechano-sensitive hair cells (HC) are mechanically active to sense basilar membrane (BM) motions. Mechanically-activated (MA) currents in SGNs modulate auditory nerve excitation, and thus, the MACs form an integral part of the micromechanical filter in the sensory organ of Corti (OC). We further predict that MACs in SGNs serve as sensors for target hair cell (HC) recognition, and their activation strengthens SGN/HC synapse formation. We are testing the novel hypothesis and establishing unambiguously that SGNs serve not only as primary auditory neurons, but also as secondary receptors, sensing mechanical motion of the BM and regulating the phase locking properties of the input-output functions of the auditory system. Thus, we invoke a paradigm shift in sensory physiology. We will show that mechanosensitivity of SGNs is a bona fide component of their phase locked properties, that defines their remarkable sensitivity. 6th ANNUAL RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM THE SIERRA NEVADA CHAPTER OF THE SOCIETY FOR NEUROSCIENCE Friday, November 21st, 2014 Poster Session Distinct genetic architecture underlies the convergence of foraging-related traits in the Mexican Cavefish. B. Robinson, P. Masek, K. O’Quin, W.R. Jeffery, M. Yoshizawa, & A.C. Keene Functional Effects of Semaphorin3A on Membrane Excitability in Spiral Ganglion Neurons. V. Wong, M. Meadows, E. Yamoah Eye movements to manipulable objects are predicted by frequency of use. R.M. Skiba & J.C. Snow The functional end of manipulable objects attracts covert visual attention. K. Kirkeby, R.M. Skiba & J.C. Snow Real-world objects are recalled better, and sooner, than photographs of objects. M. Compton & J.C. Snow Implied action affordance facilitates visual search efficiency M. Gomez & J.C. Snow PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1) and protein kinase A (PKA) form a new neuroprotective signaling axis. R.K. Dagda, T.D. Banerjee & G. Craviso PRRG4 is a functional homolog of Drosophila Commissureless. E.D. Justice, S. Barnum & T. Kidd Stepwise Mechanisms for Hearing Loss in NOD/LtJ Mice. J.H. Lee, H.J. Kim, W. Wang, & E.N. Yamoah Walking with Cornsweet: Polarity reversals induce illusory motion percepts. C.D. Blair, L. Strother & G. Caplovitz translin is a novel regulator of insulin function that is required for metabolic regulation of sleep. M.E. Yurgel, K. Murakami, P. Masek, M. Slocumb, J. Diangelo, A.C. Keene 6th ANNUAL RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM THE SIERRA NEVADA CHAPTER OF THE SOCIETY FOR NEUROSCIENCE Friday, November 21st, 2014 Poster Session, continued Summary statistics influence how individuals are perceived in noise. K.W Killebrew, C.D. Blair & G.P Caplovitz Minimally distinct border estimates of macular pigment distribution. J.E. Vanston & M.A. Crognale Genetic tools for the analysis of Drosophila stomatogastric nervous system development. K. Hernandez, L. Myers, M. Bowser & T. Kidd The Neural Fate of Individual Item Representations in Visual Working Memory G. Gurariy, D. Peterson, M. Berryhill, G. Caplovitz Serotonergic axons navigate through the neural tube using floor plate signals. H. Lee, M. Kim, C. Wilhelm, B.Kara, T.M Fontelonga & G. Mastick Enhanced sleep is an evolutionarily adaptive response to starvation stress. J.M. Regalado M.E. Slocumb, M. Yoshizawa, G.G. Neely, P. Masek, A.G. Gibbs & A.C. Keene ** We would like to thank Dr. Gerardo Rodriguez for helping to support our Chapter Symposium (yet again).