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David M. Smith

Assistant Professor

  • 252 Uris Hall
  • Cornell University
  • Ithaca NY 14853-7601
    Office Hours:
    M 3:30 - 4:30

Interests

My research is focused on a neural systems level analysis of learning and memory processes in rodents. We record the activity of many individual neurons in behaving rats while they learn. This allows us to track the changes in neuronal responses that are associated with the acquisition of learned information. We also use pharmacological agents to temporarily inactivate discrete brain regions while recording neuronal responses in anatomically connected brain regions. This allows us to determine how the loss of that brain region impacts the rat’s ability to learn and how the loss of one part of a neural circuit can affect processing in other parts of the circuit.

Now recruiting graduate students for IMAGINE, the Ithaca-Manhattan Graduate Initiative in Neuroscience. This NIH-funded training program is jointly sponsored by Cornell University and Weill Cornell Medical College.

Behavioral & Evolutionary Neuroscience

Selected Publications

  • Smith, D. M., Barredo, J. B. and Mizumori, S. J. Y. (2011). Complimentary Roles of the Hippocampus and Retrosplenial Cortex in Behavioral Context Discrimination. Hippocampus, 21: n/a. doi: 10.1002/hipo.20958. download

  • Butterly, D. A., Petroccione, M. A., Masterton, J. E. and Smith, D. M. (2011). Hippocampal context processing is critical for interference free recall of odor memory in rats. Hippocampus, 21: n/a. doi: 10.1002/hipo.20953. download

  • Gill, P. R., Mizumori, S. J. Y. and Smith, D. M. (2011). Hippocampal Episode Fields Develop with Learning. Hippocampus, 21: n/a. doi: 10.1002/hipo.20832. download

  • Smith, D. M. (2008). The Hippocampus, Context Processing and Episodic Memory. In Dere, E., Easton, A., Nadel, L. and Huston, J. (eds) Handbook of Episodic Memory. Amsterdam: Elsevier. pp 465-481. download

  • Smith, D. M. and Mizumori, S. J. Y. (2006). Hippocampal Place Cells, Context and Episodic Memory. Hippocampus. 16:716-729. download

  • Smith, D. M. and Mizumori, S. J. Y. (2006). Context Specific Neuronal Response Patterns and the Role of the Hippocampus in the Encoding of Learning Contexts. Journal of Neuroscience. 26(12):3154-3163. download

  • Smith D. M., Wakeman D., Patel J., Gabriel M. (2004). Fornix Lesions Impair Context-Related Cingulothalamic Neuronal Patterns and Concurrent Discrimination Learning. Behavioral Neuroscience. 118:1225-1239. download

  • Robinson, S., Smith, D. M., Mizumori, S. J. Y., and Palmiter, R.D. (2004). Firing Properties of Dopamine Neurons in Freely-Moving Dopamine-Deficient Mice: Effects of Dopamine Receptor Activation and Anesthesia. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, United States of America. 101(36):13329-13334. download

  • Smith, D. M., Freeman, J. H., Jr., Nicholson, D., and Gabriel, M. (2002). Limbic Thalamic Lesions, Appetitively Motivated Discrimination Learning And Learning-Related Neuronal Activity In Rabbits. Journal of Neuroscience. 22(18):8212-21. download

  • Smith, D. M., Monteverde, J., Schwartz, E., Freeman, J. H., Jr., and Gabriel, M. (2001) Lesions in the Central Nucleus of the Amygdala: Effects on Discriminative Avoidance Learning, Discriminative Approach Learning and Cingulothalamic Training-induced Neuronal Activity. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory. 76:403-425. download

  • Duvel, A., Smith, D. M., Talk, A., and Gabriel, M. (2001) Medial Geniculate, Amygdalar and Cingulate Cortical Training-induced Neuronal Activity During Discriminative Avoidance Learning in Rabbits with Auditory Cortical Lesions. Journal of Neuroscience. 21(9):3271-81. download

Links

updated on Thursday, Apr 29 2010 @ 4:07pm