RESERACH

Developmental Neurobiology
I am using the auditory system of rodents to study (1) brain growth under both normal and sensory-deprived conditions; and (2) developmental interactions between peripheral sensory neurons and their receptor cells. In order to push the timing of deprivation into embryonic ages, mutants with known cochlear deficiencies will be used. Cellular interactions in the cochlea are of interest, because peripheral auditory neurons, to survive, may have to establish connections with both sensory cells and with central neurons, and the mechanisms of such interactions may involve growth factor signalling.

I am also involved in the study of neuroglia, both during early brain growth and in neuropathological states.

PUBLICATIONS:

Andrew, D.L.E. and J.A. Paterson. 1989. Postnatal development of vascularity in the inferior colliculus of the young rat. Amer. J. Anat. 186:389-396.

Paterson, J.A. and E.W. Hosea. 1993. Auditory behaviour and brainstem histo-chemistry in adult rats with characterized ear damage after neonatal ossicle ablation or cochlear disruption. Behav. Brain Res. 53:73-89.

Krupnik, E. and J.A. Paterson. 1993. Butyrylcholinesterase activity in the developing auditory brainstem, the choroid plexus, and the pituitary of the perinatal rat. Int. J. Dev. Neuro. 11(6): 731-738.

El-Husseini, A., J.A. Paterson and R.P.C. Shiu. 1994. Basic fibroblast growth factor (BFGF) and two of its receptors, FGFR1 and FGFR2: gene expression in the rat brain during postnatal development as determined by quantitative RT-PCR. Mol. Cell. Endo. 104: 191-200.