Judy Karen Brunso-Bechtold, PhD
Professor of Neurobiology and Anatomy

Although my research has extended from studies of neural development to the aging nervous system and from the hindbrain auditory system to forebrain centers of learning and memory, one constant has been an interest in the dynamics of brain structure – in particular, neural connectivity. Our current research focuses on the neural changes that underlie the cognitive impairment associated with aging and whole brain irradiation for cancer.

Both during normal aging and following fractionated whole brain irradiation, a significant number of individuals will become cognitively impaired. While many factors contribute to such functional changes, including increased oxidative stress and inflammation and altered microenvironment and trophic factors, if we could determine the neural changes that underlie that functional impairment, it might be possible to develop therapeutic interventions. Moreover, if we could rigorously quantify those changes, we would have dependent variables that could be used to critically evaluate those interventions.

Despite the many possible contributors to functional impairment, ultimately structure is the limiting factor for neural function. In our research, we utilize light and electron microscopy to quantitatively evaluate neural structure. We also use biochemical and immunolabeling approaches to determine changes in the levels and distribution of specific molecules in models of aging-related and whole brain irradiation-induced cognitive impairment.

Selected Publications:

Shi L, MM Adams, A Long, CC Carter, C Benett, WE Sonntag, M Nicolle, M Robbins, R D’Agostino, and JK Brunso-Bechtold  2006  Spatial learning and memory deficits following whole-brain irradiation are associated with changes in NMDA receptor subunits in the hippocampus.  Radiation Research (in press).

Shi L, H Pang, MC Linville, AN Bartley, AE Argenta, and JK Brunso-Bechtold  2006  Maintenance of inhibitory interneurons and boutons in sensorimotor cortex between middle and old age in Fischer 344 X Brown Norway rats.  J Chem Neuro (e-pub ahead of print).

Sonntag WE, C Bennett, R Ingram, A Donahue, J Ingraham, H Chen, T Moore, JK Brunso-Bechtold, and D Riddle  2006  Growth hormone and IGF-1 modulate local cerebral glucose utilization and adenosine triphosphate levels in a model of adult-onset growth hormone deficiency.  Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab (e-pub ahead of print)

Newton IG, ME Forbes, C Legault, JE Johnson, JK Brunso-Bechtold and DR Riddle  2005 Caloric restriction does not affect aging-related changes in hippocampal BDNF protein levels.  Neurobiology of Aging 26(5): 683-688.

Shi L, C Linville, EW Tucker, WE Sonntag and JK Brunso-Bechtold  2005 Differential effects of aging and insulin-like growth factor-1 on synaptic profiles in CA1 of rat hippocampus.  Cerebral Cortex 15: 571-577.

Shi L, AE Argenta, AK Winseck and JK Brunso-Bechtold  2004 Stereological quantification of GAD-67 immunoreactive neurons and boutons in the hippocampus of middle ages and old Fischer 344X Brown Norway rats.  J Comp Neurol 478: 282-291.

E-mail: jbrunso@wfubmc.edu