ANDREA J. ELBERGER, Ph.D.

Professor

Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology

Director, Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope Facility

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center

Address

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center

855 Monroe Avenue, Suite 515

Memphis, TN 38163

Tel: (901) 448-4101; Fax: (901) 448-7193;

Lab: 309 Wittenborg Anatomy Building

Education

Ph.D. Institution: State University of New York at Stony Brook, Department of Psychology

Postdoctoral: University of Pennsylvania, Department of Anatomy

Research Interests

Studies of the interaction of the corpus callosum and visual system during development have shown that the corpus callosum has a role in the development of many different visual functions. Simple functions such as eye alignment, depth perception, visuomotor coordination and visual field organization, as well as more complex visual functions such as spatial resolution and binocular interactions, are altered by neonatal corpus callosum section. However, there is a specific time interval during which the interaction between the corpus callosum and the developing visual system seems to take place. This interval, or critical period, is limited to the first postnatal month. Morphological studies have illustrated that callosal connections during development are plastic with respect to alterations in visual input. Not all callosal connections are required for normal visual development to occur.

Several different projects are currently under investigation in the laboratory. One major project deals with determination of the distribution and extent of corpus callosum cell bodies and dendrites at different stages of development in different mammalian species. Another major project involves the determination of the neurotransmitters used by callosal cells and by cells presynaptic and postsynaptic to callosal cells. A parallel project investigates of the development of thalamocortical/corticothalamic pathways and their relationship to the developing corpus callosum. These analyses are related to the mechanism by which the corpus callosum has a critical role in the development and/or maintenance of a normal visual system. The morphological studies are being performed at both light (epifluorescence, brightfield, confocal laser scanning) and electron microscopic levels and the results will be integrated via computer reconstruction of callosal and visual cortical microcircuitry.

Recent Publications

• Livy DJ, Elberger AJ. Alcohol exposure during the first two trimesters-equivalent alters the development of corpus callosum projection neurons in the rat. Alcohol. 2008 Jun;42(4):285-93. Epub 2008 May 12. PMID: 18468834
• Matta SG, Elberger AJ. Combined exposure to nicotine and ethanol throughout full gestation results in enhanced acquisition of nicotine self-administration in young adult rat offspring. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2007 Aug;193(2):199-213. Epub 2007 Apr 3. PMID: 17404712
• Margret CP, Li CX, Chappell TD, Elberger AJ, Matta SG, Waters RS. Prenatal alcohol exposure delays the development of the cortical barrel field in neonatal rats. Exp Brain Res. 2006 Jun;172(1):1-13. Epub 2006 Feb 28. PMID: 16506013
• Margret CP, Chappell TD, Li CX, Jan TA, Matta SG, Elberger AJ, Waters RS. Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) reduces the size of the forepaw representation in forepaw barrel subfield (FBS) cortex in neonatal rats: relationship between periphery and central representation. Exp Brain Res. 2006 Jul;172(3):387-96. Epub 2006 Jan 20. PMID: 16424976
• Margret CP, Li CX, Elberger AJ, Matta SG, Chappell TD, Waters RS. Prenatal alcohol exposure alters the size, but not the pattern, of the whisker representation in neonatal rat barrel cortex. Exp Brain Res. 2005 Aug;165(2):167-78. Epub 2005 Apr 22. PMID: 15856205
• Deng J, Elberger AJ. Corticothalamic and thalamocortical pathfinding in the mouse: dependence on intermediate targets and guidance axis. Anat Embryol (Berl). 2003 Oct;207(3):177-92. Epub 2003 Sep 18. PMID: 14505053

view complete list of references (pubmed link)