NEUROSCIENTISTS TALK SHOP

On May 8, 2025 we met with Kevin Bieniek to talk about the nature of brain injury seen in chronic traumatic encephalopathy in athletes and others who experience repeated concussion. Kevin explained the commonalities and unique features of those injuries compared to neurodegenerative diseases.Guest:Kevin Bieniek, Associate Professor, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and Director of the Brain Bank at the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases at UT Health San Antonio.Participating:Melanie Carless, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSAHost:Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSAThanks to James Tepper for original music

On April 17, 2025 we met with Nicholas Priebe to describe developments in the study of neuronal representations of the visual world. We discussed the origin of variability the temporal patterns of responses, and the possibility that responses are influenced by non-visual pathways.Guest:Nicholas Priebe, Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at AustinParticipating:Todd Troyer, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSAHost:Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA

On April 10th (I said April 4th, but it was the 10th), 2025 we spoke with Punam Pokam about the molecular mechanisms that control osmotic balance of neurons and glia, and their changes after brain injury. She also explained the pathological membrane potential changes and ionic currents that are associated with injury and their relation to cell swelling.Guest:Punam Pokam, Assistant Professor, Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M School of MedicineHostCharles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSAThanks to James Tepper for original music

On April 3, 2025 we met with Lorena Saelices to talk about what we know about the structure of amyloids, how they form by misfolding and aggregation of proteins, and how they damage cells and tissues in a range of disorders (including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases). Guest:Lorena Saelices, Assistant Professor, Department of Biophysics and the Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases at the UT Southwestern Medical School.Participating:Chris Gamblin, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSAHost:Charles Wilson , Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSAThanks to James Tepper for original music

On March 27, 2025, we spoke with Nace Golding about the auditory pathways in the brainstem and midbrain. We focused on the inferior colliculus, and on identifying the key cell types that make up that essential but mysterious midbrain auditory nucleus. Guest:Nace Golding, Professor, Department of Neuroscience and the Center for Learning and Memory, University of Texas at Austin.Participating:Marina Silveria, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSAHost:Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSAThanks to Jim Tepper for original music

On March 20, 2025 we spoke with the speakers at our annual UTSA Neuroscience Symposium for 2025, entitled "Prefrontal Cortical Functions Beyond Fear". The panel talked about the contribution of medial prefrontal cortex in fear, threat and safety learning, cognitive flexibility, psychiatric disorders, recent and remote memory, and some other things. GuestsAnthony Burgos-Robles, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSALaura Denardo, Department of Physiology, UCLA School of MedicineJason Keller, HHMI Janelia Research CampusDavid Morilak, Department of Pharmacology, UT Health San AntonioHostCharles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA

On February 27, 2025 we were joined by Xue Han about using genetically expressed fluorescent voltage sensors to measure transmembrane voltage simultaneously in multiple neurons in the brain of awake behaving animals over days or weeks. She explained how the genetic sequences for the voltage sensor molecules are found and perfected, how they are delivered to the neurons of interest, the challenges of measuring voltage by changes in fluorescence, and the kinds of questions whose solutions are waiting for this technology. Guest:Xue Han, Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston UniversityHost:Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSAThanks to Jim Tepper for original music

On February 13, 2025 we met with Yin Shen to discuss the contribution of cis-regulatory non-coding DNA sequences in controlling gene expression, and how variation of these regions in microglia may be risk factors in idiopathic brain diseases.Guest:Yin Shen, Professor in the Department of Neurology and the Institute for Human Genetics in the Weill Institute for Neurosciences at the University of California San Francisco School of MedicineParticipating:Melanie Carless, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSAHost:Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSAThanks to Jim Tepper for original music

On January 30, 2025 we spoke with Ekaterina (Katya) Likhtic about the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, and the circuits responsible for fear conditioning and extinction. She informed us about the special contribution of the amygdala to emotion and emotional learning, and we discussed the special place of fear conditioning as a model for learning generally. Guest: Katya Likhtic, Associate Professor, Department of Biology, Hunter City University of New York. Participating: Tony Burgos-Robles, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA. Itamar Lerner, Department of Psychology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA.

On December 13, 2024 we spoke with the speakers at our annual UTSA Neuroscience Symposium, on the Basal Ganglia Circuitry. Topics of discussion included the heterogeneity of cells and connections, the usefulness of the idea of cell types (or lack thereof), and the relationship between neuromodulators and fast synaptic transmission. Sorry about the sound quality on this one. Guests: Charles Gerfen, Senior Investigator, National Institute of Mental Health Joshua Goldberg, Associate Professor, Department of Medical Neurobiology, The Hebrew University Zayd Khaliq, Senior Investigator, National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke Tianyi Mao, Senior Scientist, Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University Gilad Silberberg, Professor | Docent, Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute D. James Surmeier, Professor, Department of Physiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA

On December 5, 2024 we spoke with Jason Chen about G-protein signaling in the mammalian photoreceptors, and the G-protein regulator proteins that govern the speed of transduction and the temporal resolution of vision. Guest: Jason Chen, Professor in the Departments of Molecular Medicine and Ophthalmology, and Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long Chair in Retinal Signaling at UT Health San Antonio. Participating: Erika Tatiana Camacho, Departments of Mathematics and Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Thanks to James Tepper for original music

On November 21, 2024 we spoke with Jonathan Fadok on the brain circuits that choose whether an animal will freeze or try to escape in the presence of a dangerous stimulus. Guest: Jonathan Fadok, Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology and the Brain Institute at Tulane University. Participating: Tony Burgos-Robles, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Matt Wanat, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Thanks to James Tepper for original music

On November 14, 2024 we spoke with Claudio Punzo on the metabolic interdependence of the retinal pigment epithelium and the photoreceptors of the retina, and its implications for the degenerative process in macular degeneration Guest: Claudio Punzo, Associate Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science at the University of Massachusetts Medical School Participating: Erika Tatiana Camacho, Departments of Mathematics and Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA

On November 7, 2024 we spoke with Carlos Bassetto about the relationship between molecular structure and functional states of the ion channels that underlie all electrical signals in the nervous system. Guest: Carlos Bassetto, Assistant Professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy, UTSA Participating: Fidel Santamaria, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Thanks to James Tepper for original music

Neuroscientists Talk Shop: Raju Metherate on nicotine and auditory processing On October 31, 2024 we spoke with Raju Metherate, on the sites of action of nicotine in the auditory pathway and the mechanism by which it enhances cortical responses to sound. Guest: Raju Metherate, Professor, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine Participating: Alfonso Apicella, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Host Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Thanks to James Tepper for original music

On October 17, 2024 we talked with Eric Fortune about the electric field sensory system in weakly electric fish and its function in social communication, predation and spatial localization. Eric explained how his collaboration with engineers and application of control systems opened a window on the function of the animal's movement in this sensory system. Guest: Eric Fortune, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences, New Jersey Institute of Technology Participating: Francesco Savelli, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Todd Troyer, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Thanks to Jim Tepper for original music

On October 10, 2024 we met with Ranmal Samarsinghe to talk about the use of cortical assembloids, three-dimensional cultures containing both excitatory and inhibitory neurons. to explore the development and function of the cerebral cortex. Guest: Ranmal Samarasinghe, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Participating: Sara Mirsadegi, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA

On September 26, 2024 we spoke with Jones Parker about dopamine receptors, the changes in neuronal activity produced by various antipsychotic drugs, and their relationship to antipsychotic efficacy in humans. Guest: Jones Parker, Assistant Professor in the Departments of Neuroscience, Pharmacology, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Participating: Matt Wanat, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Thanks to James Tepper for original music

On September 23, 2024 we met with Andy Groves to discuss the inner ear and hearing loss, why we can't regenerate our auditory receptors, and how we might someday be able to rebuild our auditory epithelium using gene therapy. Guest: Andy Groves, Professor and Vivian L Smith Endowed Chair in Neuroscience, Departments of Neuroscience and Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine. Participating: Marina Silveira, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Thanks to Jim Tepper for original music

On September 12, 2024 we got to talk with Brian Lundstrom about the origin of epilepsy, the use of electrical recordings in its diagnosis, and brain stimulation as a treatment. Brian explained the difficulties of inferring cortical network function from EEG signals, and the problem of studying a disease whose symptoms manifest rarely and intermittently. Guest: Brian Lundstrom, Associate Professor in Neurology and Biophysics in the division of Epilepsy, Department of Neurology, in Mayo Clinic Participating: Fidel Santamaria, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Thanks to Jim Tepper for original music

On September 9, 2024 we got to talk to Marina Silveira about the inferior colliculus, its place in the auditory pathway, and the effort to understand its cellular makeup, internal structure, and auditory functions. Guest: Marina Silveira, Assistant Professor, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Thanks to Jim Tepper for original music

On August 29, 2024 we spoke with Melanie Carless about cellular models of Alzheimer's disease generated using direct programming of brain cells from fibroblasts derived from patients, which can be used to find epigenetic signatures of the disease. Guest: Melanie Carless, Associate Professor, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Participating: Uchit Bhaskar, Department of Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA

On May 2, 2024 we spoke with Skirmantas Janusonis on the peculiar morphology and spatial distribution of the serotonin innervation of the brain, and his idea that it can be described using the mathematics of fractional Brownian motion. We consider the kind of developmental mechanisms that could be responsible. Guest: Skirmantas Janusonis, Associate Professor, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara. Participating: Fidel Santamaria, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Thanks to Jim Tepper for original music

On April 25, 2024, we met with the 5 speakers for this year's Annual Neuroscience Symposium at UTSA to discuss epigenetics and nervous system development. We discussed the best known molecular mechanisms that control patterns of gene expression and current limitations faced in studies of those mechanisms. We also discussed the promise of epigenetics to explain the differentiation of nervous system cell types, mechanisms of developmental, neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. Guests: Melanie Carless, Associate Professor, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Christine Ladd-Acosta, Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Paulino Ramirez, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, UT Health San Antonio Alexey Soshnev, Assistant Professor, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Hehuang "David" Xie, Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia Tech Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Thanks to Jim Tepper for original music

On April 18, 2024 we spoke with Nancy Philp about the blood supply to the retina and the cells and membrane transporters that deliver glucose and lactate to photoreceptors and other cells for glycolytic and aerobic metabolism. Guest: Nancy Philp, Professor, Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine, Sidney Kimmel Medical School, Thomas Jefferson University Participating: Erica Tatiana Camacho, Departments of Mathematics and Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Thanks to James Tepper for original music

On April 4, 2024 we had a chance to talk to Kara Marshall about the membrane protein PIEZO2, which is responsible for sensory transduction of many of the mechanical senses, including light touch, vibration, and proprioception. We especially focused on its function in sensing internal pressure and movement, including bladder pressure and blood pressure. Guest: Kara Marshall, Assistant Professor, Department of Neuroscience and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baylor College of Medicine Participating: Lindsey Macpherson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Thanks to Jim Tepper for original music

On March 21, 2024, we spoke with Dennis Sparta on the complexity of brain circuitry and strategies for dissecting out the contributions of different brain areas engaged in reward and in alcohol use. Guest: Dennis Sparta, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Illinois Chicago. Participating: Marina Sylveria, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Matt Wanat, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Thanks to Jim Tepper for original music

On March 7, 2024, we were joined by Lynn Dobrunz to talk about brain circuits underlying anxiety and PTSD, and the role of neuropeptide Y modulation of glutamate transmission in the hippocampus and amygdala. Guest: Lynn Dobrunz, who is Professor and Chair of the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology and Director of the Neuroscience Institute at the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis. Participating: Marina Sylveria, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Thanks to James Tepper for original music

On February 29, 2024 we got to talk to Dwight Bergles about the cellular mechanism that generates spontaneous activity in auditory receptors before the onset of hearing, and the function of that activity in development of appropriate circuitry throughout the auditory pathway. Guest: Dwight Bergles,Professor in the Departments of Neuroscience, Biomedical Engineering, and Otolaryrngology-Head & Neck Surgery, and the Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute at Johns Hopkins University. Participating: Marina Silveria, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Thanks to Jim Tepper for original music

On February 22, 2024 we talked with Janko Gospocic about changes in gene expression associated with changes in social status in a fascinating species of ants. Guest: Janko Gospocic, Assistant professor, Department of Psychiatry and Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences at UT Southwestern University Participating: Lacy Barton, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Alexey Soshnev, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Thanks to James Tepper for original music.

On February 15, 2024 we talked with Yarimar Carrasquillo on acute and chronic pain, and the brain circuits responsible for self-maintaining pathological chronic pain. Guest: Yarimar Carrasquillo, Investigator, Section on Behavioral Neurocircuitry and Cellular Plasticity at the NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Participating: Lindsey Macpherson,Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Matt Wanat, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Thanks to James Tepper for original music.

On February 8, 2024, we met with Josh Neunuebel, to discuss his work on ultrasonic vocalization during mouse social behavior. We discussed his method for experimental compilation of the range of socially used vocalizations, and determining their behavioral meanings. Guest: Josh Neunuebel, Associate Professor, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware. Participating: Alfonso Apicella, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Francesco Savelli, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Nicole Wicha, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Thanks to James Tepper for original music.

On February 1, 2024, Lori Holt joined us to talk about categorical perception of speech (and some other) sounds, how they are learned and the brain mechanisms responsible for them. Guest: Lori Holt, Professor of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin Participating: Nicole Wicha, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Marina Silveria, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Host Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA

On January 25, 2024 we spoke with Michael Long about vocalization, language and conversation from birds to humans. We discuss what can be learned from birdsong, warbling in parrots, singing mice, and human conversation. Guest: Michael Long, Thomas Suzanne Murphy Professor of Neuroscience and Physiology and Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology at the New York University School of Medicine. Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Thanks to James Tepper for original music.

On January 19, 2024 we talked with Itamar Lerner on the complex relationship between sleep and learning, the phases of sleep, and kinds of learning. Guest: Itamar Lerner, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Thanks to James Tepper for original music.

On November 30, 2023 we spoke with Rebecca Shansky on the brain circuits responsible for fear learning, the errors we make as we simplify measurement to make behavioral experiments practical, and the future of behavioral science. Guest: Rebecca Shansky, Professor, Department of Psychology, Northeastern University Participating: Matt Wanat, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Morgan Johnston, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA

On November 27, 2023 we had the special opportunity to chat with Erica Korb about the nucleosome - the histone protein and DNA structure that controls the availability of genes for transcription. She explained about replication dependent and replication independent histone variants and the special demands on and features of the nucleosome of neurons. Guest: Erica Korb, Assistant Professor of Genetics and the Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine Participating: Alexey Soshnev, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Thanks to Jim Tepper for original music

On November 9, 2023 we talked to Anne West about promoters, transcription factors and histones for controlling gene expression in neurons during development and adulthood. Guest: Anne West, Professor of Neurobiology and Cell Biology, Duke University Participating, Alexey Soshnev, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Developmental Biology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Developmental Biology, UTSA Thanks to JM Tepper for original music

On November 2, 2023 we spoke with Allan Gulledge on the function of neuromodulation and neuromodulators, especially acetylcholine, in the cerebral cortex. We asked him about their role is cortical signal processing and state changes in the circuit. Guest: Allan Gulledge, Professor of Molecular and Systems Biology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College Participating: David Jaffe, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Thanks to James Tepper for original music.

On October 26, 2023 we spike with Ben Clark about the construction and properties of a cognitive map in the brain. We considered the existing data on cellular responses that have been described in the cortex, thalamus and hippocampus, and how cells with those responses could be part of a system that is used to map space. Guest: Ben Clark, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Participating: Francesco Savelli, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Thanks to James Tepper for original music

On October 19, 2023 we spoke with MacKenzie Howard on the genetics and neurophysiology of Dravet syndrome, a severe genetic and developmental form of epilepsy. We learned how the a single genetic mutation can lead to a cascade of physiological defects during development. Guest: MacKenzie Howard, Assistant Professor in the Departments of Neurology and Neuroscience and the Center for Learning and Memory at the Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin. Participating: Jenny Hsieh, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Thanks to Jim Tepper for original music

On September 28, 2023 we spoke with Jose Rodriguez-Romaguera about measuring arousal and its role in motivated behavior. Guest: Jose Rodriguez-Romaguera, Assistant Professor in the Departments of Psychiatry, Cell Biology and Physiology, and Applied Physical Sciences, University of North Carolina School of Medicine. Participating: Tony Burgos-Robles, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA thanks to JM Tepper for original music

On September 21st, 2023, we spoke with Tianyi Mao about improved methods for studying the spatial organization of connections between brain regions. This is Tianyi's second appearance on Neuroscientists Talk Shop. The previous one was Episode 35, from 14 years ago, in September 2009 Guest Tianyi Mao, Scientist, Vollum Institute, Oregon Health Sciences University Participant James Jones, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Host Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA thanks to JM Tepper for original music

On September 14 we spoke with Carrie Cuttler on experimental studies of the cognitive effects of chronic cannabis use and acute cannabis intoxication. She explained some of the obstacles that exist in the study of the effects of cannabis on the nervous system and on behavior, and on the current status of our knowledge in this area. Guest: Carrie Cuttler, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Washington State University. Participating: Tony Allevato, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Morgan Johnston, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA thanks to JM Tepper for original music

On August 31, 2023 we got a chance to talk to Lindsey Macpherson on the functional organization of the taste buds, taste cells, and the primary afferent neurons of taste in the geniculate and petrosal ganglia. Lindsey has joined our discussion several times in the past, but this time we discuss her own experimental work on the taste system. Guest: Lindsey Macpherson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Participating: Bryan Fowler, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA acknowledgement: JM Tepper for original music

On August 24, we met with Mike Mauk to talk about the importance of timing in learned movements, and the granularity of the representation of time in the cerebellar cortex. This was Mike's second time on the podcast. We talked to him previously in September, 2008. To listen to that podcast, go to episode 16 of the audio-only podcasts, on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/neuroscientists-talk-shop/id279181187), or Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/0Aq8iLa3MWb1utTzcdI5vp). Guest: Michael Mauk, Professor, Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin. Participating: Joshua Goldberg, Department of Neuroscience, Hebrew University, Israel Francesco Savelli, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA

On February 5, 2009, we were joined by Allison Doupe, who was Professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and Physiology at the University of California San Francisco. Allison talked with us about the value of learned birdsong as a model for sensory and motor learning, the brain circuitry responsible for learning, remembering and controlling the song, and the importance of variability in adapting the song to changes in animal state or the environment. Somehow, that conversation was never posted. I encountered it while searching through old files looking for something else, and just recently heard it for the first time. It is a wonderful conversation with a creative and insightful neuroscientist, and the information is still current, so I am posting it now. Stay on after the podcast to listen to an outtake containing a conversation between Allison and Michael Farries on the pallium, the functional equivalent of the cerebral cortex birds, and whether birds do or do not have a cerebral cortex. Guest: Allison Doupe, University of California San Francisco Participating: Michael Farries Department of Biology, UTSA Kelly Suter Department of Biology, UTSA Nicole Wicha Department of Biology, UTSA Carlos Paladini Department of Biology, UTSA Rama Ratnam Department of Biology, UTSA Todd Troyer Department of Biology, UTSA Host: Salma Quraishi, Department of Biology, UTSA acknowledgement: JM Tepper for original music

On April 27, we met with Kara Federmeier to talk about brain mechanisms of human semantic processing. We discussed the role of meaning in human language comprehension and production, in comparison to that of large language models like ChatGPT, which presumably do not know what they are saying. Guest: Kara Federmeier, Professor, Department of Psychology, Program in Neuroscience and The Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois. Participating: Nicole Wicha, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Antonio Allevato, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA

On April 13, 2023 we met with Steve Chang to learn about brain mechanisms for social decision making - deciding to share or not to share, acting on another's behalf, and learning by watching what others do. Guest: Steve Chang, Associate Professor of the Departments of Psychology and Neuroscience at Yale University. Participating: Tony Burgos-Robles, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA. Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA.

On March 29, 2023 we spoke with Jayeeta Basu about the level of autonomy exercised by neuronal dendrites in synaptic integration, the factors that control coupling between dendrites and the soma, and the possible role of dendritic processing in generating the responses of neurons. Guest: Jayeeta Basu, Assistant Professor, Neuroscience Institute, the Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, and the Department of Psychiatry at the New York University Grossman School of Medicine. Participating: Francesco Savelli, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA. Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA. Paper mentioned during the discussion: Bilash OM, Chavlis S, Johnson CD, Poirazi P, Basu J. Lateral entorhinal cortex inputs modulate hippocampal dendritic excitability by recruiting a local disinhibitory microcircuit. Cell Rep. 2023 Jan 31;42(1):111962.

On March 9, 2023 we spoke with Lauren Dobbs about the relationship between dopamine receptors and opiate peptide co-transmitters in the striatum, and implications for the mechanisms of action of cocaine and opiate drugs. Guest: Lauren Dobbs, Assistant Professor, Departments of Neuroscience and Neurology, University of Texas at Austin. Participating: Matt Wanat, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA.