Synaptic Plasticity in the Central Auditory System

Yong Lu, Ph.D.

 Assistant Professor
Department of Neurobiology

 

Northeastern Ohio Universities
College of Medicine
4209 St. Rt. 44, P.O. Box 95
Rootstown, Ohio 44272-0095
Phone: (330) 325-6656
Fax: (330) 325-5916
Email: ylu@neoucom.edu
Department of Neurobiology

Education:

1999 Ph.D. Biology, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia , MO
1992 M.S. Biology, Beijing Normal University , P.R. China
1989 B.S. Biology, Beijing Normal University , P.R. China

Professional Experience:

2005-present Assistant Professor, Dept. of Neurobiology,
Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine
1999-2005 Postdoctoral Fellow, Dept. of Otolaryngology, University of Washington
1992-1995 Lecturer, Dept. of Biology, Beijing Normal University

Research Interests:

Sensory inputs (hearing, vision, balance, somatic senses, smell, and taste) play critical roles in development of the nervous system. Deprivation of hearing inputs (deafness) produces profound changes in structure, function, and metabolic process of central auditory neurons, followed by neuronal degeneration. G-protein-coupled receptors (e.g. metabotropic glutamate receptors) seem to be involved in this process.

Our research, using primarily electrophysiology (e.g. whole-cell patch clamping) and microscope imaging (e.g. immunohistochemistry) techniques, investigates how ion channels and synaptic transmission in central auditory neurons are influenced by hearing inputs. We also study functions of G-protein-coupled receptors involved in this process and in auditory information processing. We aim to further our understanding of mechanisms underlying hearing deprivation-induced cell death, and to provide information that may be crucial to improving treatment of patients with deafness.

Selected Publications:

  • Lu Y , Burger RM, Rubel EW (2005) GABA b receptor activation modulates GABA a receptor-mediated inhibition in chicken nucleus magnocellularis neurons. J Neurophysiol 93:1429-1438.
  • Lu Y , Rubel EW (2005) Activation of metabotropic glutamate receptors inhibits high voltage-gated calcium channel currents in chicken nucleus magnocellularis neurons. J Neurophysiol 93:1418-1428.
  • Lu Y* , Monsivais P*, Tempel BL, Rubel EW (2004) Activity-dependent regulation of the potassium channel subunits Kv1.1 and Kv3.1. J Comp Neurology 470:93-106. *equal authorship
  • Lu Y , Jen PHS (2003) Binaural interaction in the inferior colliculus of the big brown bat, Eptesicus fuscus . Hear Res 177:100-110.
  • Lu Y , Jen PHS (2002) Interaction of excitation and inhibition in inferior collicular neurons of the big brown bat, Eptesicus fuscus . Hear Res 169:140-150.
  • Lu Y , Jen PHS (2001) GABAergic and glycinergic neural inhibition in excitatory frequency tuning of bat inferior collicular neurons. Exp Brain Res 141:331-339.
  • Lu Y , Jen PHS, Wu M (1998) GABAergic disinhibition affects responses of bat inferior collicular neurons to temporally patterned sound pulses. J Neurophysiol 79:2303-2315.
  • Lu Y , Jen PHS, Zheng QY (1997) GABAergic disinhibition changes the recovery cycle of bat inferior collicular neurons. J Comp Physiol A 181:331-341.