Cognitive enhancements

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=12.5% BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" width="100%" style=" border-top: 26px solid #FFFFFF; border-left: 63px solid #FFFFFF;border-right: 63px solid #FFFFFF;" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <TABLE BORDER="1" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="885" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#808080" BORDERCOLORDARK="#FFFFFF" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#DDDDDD HEIGHT= 88 ><NOBR><div> <B><IMG SRC="14d61e4a0.png" border=0 width="798" height="74" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="152953530.jpg" border=0 width="83" height="83" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#BBBBBB HEIGHT= 30 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Silvalab"><B> <IMG SRC="154761190.png" border=0 width="97" height="25" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A><B> </B><A HREF="projects.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Projects "><B><IMG SRC="147e61190.png" border=0 width="97" height="25" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A><A HREF="approaches.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Approaches"><B><IMG SRC="147f61190.png" border=0 width="97" height="25" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A><A HREF="publications.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Publications"><B><IMG SRC="148061190.png" border=0 width="97" height="25" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A><A HREF="personnel.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Lab Members"><B><IMG SRC="148161190.png" border=0 width="97" height="25" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A><A HREF="alcino.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Alcino J. Silva"><B><IMG SRC="148261190.png" border=0 width="97" height="25" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A><A HREF="awards.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Awards"><B><IMG SRC="148361190.png" border=0 width="97" height="25" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A><A HREF="positions.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Open Positions"><B><IMG SRC="148461190.png" border=0 width="97" height="25" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A><A HREF="aboutus.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="aboutus"><B><IMG SRC="148561190.png" border=0 width="97" height="25" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#6666CC HEIGHT= 20 WIDTH="881"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="20" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="881" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="1" CELLPADDING="4" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="884" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#330000" BORDERCOLORDARK="#FFFFFF" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#EEEEEE > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFFFFF HEIGHT= 452 WIDTH="234"><div> Projects:</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="aging.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Aging and Cognition"><B>Aging and Cognition</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="camkii.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="CaMKII and learning"><B>CaMKII and learning</B></A></div> <div> <B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Cognitive enhancements</B></div> <div> <A HREF="cortical.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Cortical memories"><B>Cortical memories</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="recovery.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Enhancing plasticity and recovery"><B>Enhancing plasticity and recovery</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="disabilities.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Learning disabilities"><B>Learning disabilities</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="allocation.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Memory allocation"><B>Memory allocation</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="genes.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Novel memory genes"><B>Novel memory genes</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="schizophrenia.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Schizophrenia"><B>Schizophrenia</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="s2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Science of Science"><B>Science of Science</B></A></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1530b27e0.jpg" border=0 width="178" height="126" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <B>From National Geographic</B></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFFFFF WIDTH="628"><div> <IMG SRC="152fbaf20.jpg" border=0 width="186" height="242" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Creativity and extraordinary cognition</div> <bR> <div> In our studies of the mechanistic underpinnings of extraordinary problem solving, we have genetically engineered different strains of mice with dramatic enhancements in learning and memory.  Understanding how to engineer enhancements in learning and memory will be key to understanding extraordinary problem solving, and insights into extraordinary learning and memory will lead us a step closer to a mechanistic understanding of the biological processes responsible for historically creative achievements. </div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 BGCOLOR=#FFFFFF HEIGHT= 333 WIDTH="864"><bR> <div> Smart mice: the molecular and cellular biology of extraordinary cognition</div> <bR> <div> Recently, our laboratory published three papers where we describe studies with mice with learning and memory enhancements. In one paper, we describe the derivation of a mouse strain with enhancements in learning and memory that are only expressed in aged subjects!  In another, we describe mice that show dramatic enhancements in simple forms of  learning and memory, but that are inflexible and fail to learn complex tasks. In a recently published paper, we describe the derivation of a mouse with the most dramatic and global enhancements in learning and memory that we are aware of. </div> <bR> <div> These studies may also result in insights that will be useful to treat cognitive deficits irrespective of the underlying mechanism. This approach will be critical because there are many different types of cognitive disorders caused by a large number of genetic and environmental insults. Many of these defcits may be ameliorated by treatments that enhance cognitive function.</div> <bR> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 BGCOLOR=#FFFFFF HEIGHT= 208 WIDTH="864"><div> Key references</div> <bR> <div> Kushner, S.A., Y. Elgersma, G.G. Murphy, D. Jaarsma, G.M. van Woerden, M.R. Hojjati, Y. Cui, J.C. LeBoutillier, D.F. Marrone, E.S. Choi, C.I. De Zeeuw, T.L. Petit, L. Pozzo-Miller, and A.J. Silva, Modulation of presynaptic plasticity and learning by the H-ras/extracellular signal-regulated kinase/synapsin I signaling pathway. J Neurosci, 2005. 25(42): p. 9721-34. (<A HREF="http://www.silvalab.com.cnchost.com/silvapapers/Kushner2005JN.pdf" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.silvalab.com.cnchost.com/silv">PDF)</A></div> <bR> <div> Elgersma, Y., N. Fedorov, S. Ikonen, E. Choi, M. Elgersma, O. Carvalho, K. Giese, and A. Silva, Inhibitory autophosphorylation of CaMKII controls PSD association, plasticity and learning. Neuron, 2002. 36(3): p. 493-505.(<A HREF="http://www.silvalab.com.cnchost.com/silvapapers/Elgersmaneuron.pdf" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.silvalab.com.cnchost.com/silv">PDF)</A> </div> <bR> <div> Murphy GG, Fedorov NB, Giese KP, Ohno M, Friedman E, Chen R, Silva AJ. Increased neuronal excitability, synaptic plasticity, and learning in aged Kvbeta1.1 knockout mice. Curr Biol. 2004 Nov 9;14(21):1907-15.(<A HREF="http://www.silvalab.com.cnchost.com/silvapapers/MurphyCB2004.pdf" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.silvalab.com.cnchost.com/silv">PDF)</A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 BGCOLOR=#FFFFFF HEIGHT= 103 WIDTH="864"><bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="projects.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Projects ">Projects </A>   ·   <A HREF="approaches.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Approaches">Approaches</A>   ·   <A HREF="publications.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Publications">Publications</A>   ·   <A HREF="personnel.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Lab Members">Lab Members</A>   ·   <A HREF="alcino.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Alcino J. Silva">Alcino J. 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