Description:

Abstract:

How does the nervous system encode a soft gentle caress versus a harsh painful stimulation? What are the molecules and cells along the neuroanatomical highway from skin to brain, that informs the brain about what the skin is feeling? To address these questions we use systems neuroscience and molecular biology to link animal behavior with genes and neural circuits. In this seminar, I will share our work developing rodent “pain scales” with high-speed videography, automated tracking, and custom software to more objectively measure pain. I will also share our studies investigating skin-brain neural pathways for rewarding social touch.