My lab is involved in
studying the organization, function and development of the vertebrate brain. We
always have a number of projects underway with a focus on understanding the
development of the ventral forebrain. Most of our work centers on studies of the
olfactory system, for a number of reasons, including:
·
It is strictly
organized, with a relatively small number of cell types located in clear
layers.
·
The organization is
highly conserved across all vertebrates and even some invertebrates
·
Since it is a portion of
a sensory system, its function is quite easy to manipulate
We have examined a number of topics. Currently
we are primarily focused on a "higher order" olfactory
structure, the anterior olfactory nucleus.
Some of our published work on the anterior
olfactory nucleus includes:
Brown, J. L., and Brunjes, P. C. Development of the anterior olfactory nucleus in normal and unilaterally odor-deprived rats. Journal of Comparative Neurology 301, 15-22, 1990. PMID: 1706356
Armstrong, A. M., and Brunjes, P. C. Immunohistochemical changes in the anterior olfactory nucleus of the developing rat. Developmental Psychobiology. 30, 181-192, 1997. PMID: 9386920
Brunjes, P.C., Illig, K. R., and Meyer, E. A. A field guide to the anterior olfactory nucleus/cortex. Brain Res. Reviews. 50, 305-335, 2005. PMID: 16229895
Meyer, E.A. Illig, K. R., and Brunjes, P. C. Differences in chemo- and cytoarchitectural features within pars principalis of the rat anterior olfactory nucleus suggest functional specialization. J. Comp. Neurol. 498, 786-795, 2006. PMID: 16927267
Brunjes, P. C., and Kenerson, M. The anterior olfactory nucleus: quantitative study of dendritic morphology. J. Comp. Neurol. 518, 1603-1616, 2010. PMID: 20187150
Kay, R. B., Meyer, E.A., Illig, K. R., and Brunjes, P. C. Spatial distribution of neural activity in the anterior olfactory nucleus evoked by odor and electrical stimulation. J. Comp. Neurol 519: 277-289, 2011. PMID: 21165975
Brunjes, P. C., Kay, R. B., and Arrivillaga, J. P. (2011) The mouse olfactory peduncle. J. Comp. Neurol. 519: 2870-2886 PMID: 21618219
Brunjes, P.C., (2013) The mouse olfactory peduncle. 2. The anterior limb of the anterior commissure. Front Neuroanat. 6:51. doi: 10.3389/fnana. 2012.00051, 2013. PMID: 23355816
Kay, R. B., and Brunjes, P. C. (2014) Diversity among principal and GABAergic neurons of the anterior olfactory nucleus. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, 8:111. doi: 10.3389/fncel.2014.00111. PMID: 24808826
Brunjes, P. C., Collins, L. N., Osterberg, S. K. and Phillips, A. M. (2014) The mouse olfactory peduncle. 3. Development of neurons, glia and centrifugal afferents. Frontiers in Neuroanatomy 8:44. doi:10.3389/fnana.2014.00044. PMID: 24926238
Brunjes PC, Osterberg SK (2015) Developmental markers expressed in neocortical layers are differentially exhibited in olfactory cortex. PLoS ONE 10(9): e0138541. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0138541. PMID: 26407299
Brunjes PC,
Feldman, S and Osterberg SK (2016) The pig olfactory brain: A primer. Chemical Senses. 2016 41:415-25 PMID: 26936231
Our previous work has examined:
1) The role of function in
the development of the olfactory system
2) How
innervation patterns influences brain development
3) Evolutionary
differences in patterns of brain development.
Present and former lab
members
If you came in the door of 077 Gilmer Hall now you might meet:
·
Lindsay Collins
·
Emily Vogt
·
Amanda Briegel
·
Sabrina Smith
·
or even, Peter
Brunjes
We are closely affiliated with two programs here at UVa that you
might be interested in:
Program in
Sensory and Systems Neuroscience
The
Neuroscience Graduate Program
Contact: 102 Gilmer Hall, Box 400400; University of Virginia,
Charlottesville, VA 22904-4400.
Phone: 434-924-0693