Speaker: David Devilbiss, UW Department of Psychology
Abstract: Norepinephrine, an endogenous chemical within the brain modulates target neuron excitability. This neuromodulator permits global state changes of the brain (from sleep to waking) as well as participating in brain functions including cognitive processes such as attention and dysfunctions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and depression. This talk will describe the nonlinear nature of this neuromodulators effects on target neuron discharge properties, the summation of its effects on many individual neurons to alter the dynamics of neuronal populations, and the resultant effects on animal behaviors.