Daniel Uhlrich

The thalamus is the location where ascending visual signals destined for cerebral cortex for perception can be modified as a function of behavioral states. The thalamus also acts as an intermediary for cortico-cortical communication. Our research aims to understand the anatomical and electrophysiological bases of these processes using neuroanatomical and immunohistochemical light and electron microscopic methods and single- and multi-unit electrophysiological recordings with activation of specific neuromodulatory projections.

Thalamo-cortical neural circuitry is also involved in the generation of normal brain rhythms that occur across the sleep wake cycle and in the pathological rhythms of absence (petit mal) epilepsy. Absence seizures can be triggered by flashing visual stimuli, and we are studying the thalamic mechanisms that lead to the onset of these phototriggered seizures.

Selected Publications

• Smith, P.H., Uhlrich, D.J., Manning, K.A. and Banks, M.I. (2012) Thalamocortical projections to rat auditory cortex from the ventral and dorsal divisions of the medical geniculate nucleus. J. Comp. Neurol. 520:34-51.
• Banks, M.I., Uhlrich D.J., Smith, P.H., Krause, B.M. and Manning, K.A. (2011) Descending projections from extrastriate visual cortex modulate responses of cells in primary auditory cortex. Cerebral Cortex. 21:2620-2638 PMID: 21471557
• Smith, P.H., Manning, K.A. and Uhlrich, D.J. (2010) Evaluation of inputs to auditory cortex from rat suprageniculate nucleus and secondary visual cortex. J. Comp. Neurol. 518:3679-3700
• Manning, K.A. and Uhlrich, D.J. (2009) Acceleration of PTZ kindling association with induction of sensitized visual responses evoked by strobe stimulation. Neuroscience 163: 695-704. PMID: 19576967
• Neymotin, S., Uhlrich, D.J., Manning, K.A., and Lytton, W.W. (2008) Data-mining of time-domain features from neural extracellular field data. Studies of Computational Intelligence. 151:199-140
• Manning, K.A., Galganski, L.A. and Uhlrich, D.J. (2007) Photic-induced sensitization: eye-specific neuroplasticity and effect of behavioral state. Neuroscience 146:1413-1424. PMID: 17391857
• Uhlrich, D.J., Manning, K.A., O’Laughlin, M., and Lytton, W.W. (2005) Photic-induced sensitization: acquisition of an augmenting spike-wave response in the adult rat through repeated strobe exposure. J. Neurophysiol. 94:3925-3937. PMID: 16293590
• Basso, M.A., Uhlrich, D.J. and Bickford, M.E. (2005) Cortical function: a view from the thalamus. Neuron 45:485-488. PMID: 15756758
• Briska, A.M., Uhlrich, D.J., and Lytton, W.W. (2003) Computer model of passive signal integration based on whole-cell in vitro studies of rat lateral geniculate nucleus. Eur J. Neurosci. 17:1531-1541. PMID: 12752370
• Uhlrich, D.J., Manning, K.A., and Feig, S.L. (2003) Laminar and cellular targets of individual thalamic reticular nucleus axons in the lateral geniculate nucleus in the prosimian primate Galago. J. Comp. Neurol. 458:128-143. PMID: 12596254
• Uhlrich, D.J., K.A. Manning, and J.-T. Xue (2002) Effects of activation of the histaminergic tuberomammillary nucleus on visual responses of neurons in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus. J. Neuroscience. 22:1098-1107.
• Briska, A.M., D.J. Uhlrich, and W.W. Lytton (2000) Independent dendritic domains in the thalamic circuit. Neurocomputing32-33: 299-305.
• Lord Plummer, K., K.A. Manning, A.I. Levey, H.D. Rees, and D.J. Uhlrich (1999) Muscarinic receptor subtypes in the lateral geniculate nucleus: A light and electron microscopic analysis. J. Comp. Neurol. 404: 408-425
• Zhu, J.J., W.W. Lytton, J-T. Xue, and D.J. Uhlrich (1999) An intrinsic oscillation in interneurons of the rat lateral geniculate nucleus. J. Neurophysiol. 81: 702-711
• Zhu, J.J. and D.J. Uhlrich (1997) Nicotinic receptor-mediated responses in relay cells and interneurons in the rat lateral geniculate nucleus. Neuroscience 80: 191-202