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WORKSHOP ON
MECHANISMS OF AROUSAL,
ALERTNESS & ATTENTION
June 23 - 29, 2007
Application Deadline: April 15, 2007

Arranged by :
Brigitte Kieffer, University of Strasbourg, France
Donald Pfaff, The Rockefeller University

Brain mechanisms for arousal, alertness and attention underlie and are necessary for all cognitive functions and all emotional expression. This course will cover what is known about their neuroanatomy, neurophysiology and functional genomics, and will also explore the medical consequences of their damage in human patients --- e.g. vegetative states, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism, age-related dementias, mood disorders and sleep disorders. Public health problems related to vigilance, environmental toxins and fatigue states are also of interest. Relevant techniques will be discussed, with an emphasis on molecular genetics and on human and animal behavior. Closely related topics, circadian rhythms and sleep/wake physiology will be included. Students will be invited to identify questions of special interest and, working in teams, will address the literature on those questions toward the end of the course.

In addition to hearing about the most recent research in these areas, controversial topics and challenges to basic assumptions in the field will be explored and discussed. A diverse faculty will bring the most up-to-date results and theories to the students, making this workshop a valuable resource for young researchers starting out in this fast-moving and expansive field. Not only will it help them build the foundation for their future research, it will also introduce them to many potential collaborators working in this diverse filed with a variety of perspectives. Although the workshop will feature intense lecture sessions throughout, students will have free-time for reading, informal discussions and recreation on the beautiful campus of the Banbury Center, which includes a beach, a pool and tennis court.

Speakers in the workshop will include:

Don Pfaff, The Rockefeller University
Mechanisms underlying generalized CNS arousal

Mark Bellgrove, University of Queensland, Australia
Molecular genetics of attention

Robert Moyzis, University of California, Irvine
Genes influencing attention deficit disorders

Turhan Canli, Stony Brook University
Genes related to affect

Gary Aston-Jones, University of South Carolina
Arousal and motivational systems involved in reward-seeking

Sonia Bishop, University of Cambridge, UK
Genetic and neural bases of attention/emotion interactions

Cliff Kentros, University of Oregon
Attentional modulation of hippocampal representation of information

Nicholas Schiff, Cornell Medical School
Disorders of consciousness in neurological patients

Steven Laureys, University of Liege, Belgium
Imaging of CNS responses in patients with impaired levels of consciousness

Brigitte Kieffer, University of Strasbourg, France
Genetic influences on opioidergic systems in the CNS and their importance for reward

Joseph Takahashi, HHMI/Northwestern University
Transcriptional and post-transcriptional controls over circadian rhythms

Masashi Yanagisawa, Tsukuba University, Japan& University of Texas Medical School
Genes expressed in lateral hypothalamic nerve cells and their importance for arousal, alertness and attention

Rae Silver, Columbia University
Suprachiasmatic nerve cells governing fluctuations in arousal, alertness and attention

Ronald Szymusiak, University of California Los Angeles
Preoptic/hypothalamic nerve cells influencing temperature, sleeping and waking behavior

Allan Pack, University of Pennsylvania Medical School
Genetic contributions to the control of sleep

Justin Blau, New York University
Transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms running the circadian clock

Steve Brown, University of Zurich, Switzerland
Clocks throughout the body: Interesting mechanisms and powerful tools

Please note that selection criteria for attendance at the workshop will be similar to that for regular Cold Spring Harbor courses. Limited financial support is available but will not influence the selection process. Workshop students are expected to stay for the duration of the course. The workshop will begin on the morning of June 23 (students are encouraged to arrive on the afternoon or evening of June 22) and end by lunchtime on June 29. The workshop will be held at the Laboratory’s Banbury Conference Center located on the north shore of Long Island. All participants stay in easy walk of the Center, close to tennis court, pool and private beach.

Supported with funds provided by the Oliver Grace Fund.

Cost (including board and lodging): 2,035
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