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Phone: 212-241-6532 E-mail: vladimir.brezina@mssm.edu
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Research
Selected publications
Complete publications
Vladimir Brezina institutional webpage
Biological Control Mechanisms
Our experimental work focuses on simple neuromuscular circuits participating in the feeding behavior of the mollusc Aplysia. To be able to produce integrated and efficient behavior under a variety of circumstances, these circuits incorporate a number of control mechanisms. In particular, their output is controlled by complex local networks of interacting neuromodulators. The experimentally advantageous Aplysia system permits the cellular effects of the modulators to be dissected, using such techniques as voltage and patch clamp, optical recordings of contractions of single muscle fibers, and intracellular calcium measurements, then functionally reconstructed in the behavioral context in semi-intact and intact preparations as well as conceptually with the use of mathematical modeling techniques. The goal is to understand not just the Aplysia system but to derive from it more general principles governing the operation of such control mechanisms in biological systems.
Brezina V, Horn
CC, Weiss KR. Modeling neuromuscular
modulation in Aplysia. III. Interaction of central motor commands and
peripheral modulatory state for optimal behavior.
J Neurophysiol. 2005 Mar;93(3):1523-56.  Read as PDF |
| Horn CC, Zhurov Y, Orekhova IV, Proekt A, Kupfermann I,
Weiss KR, Brezina V.
Cycle-to-cycle variability of neuromuscular
activity in Aplysia feeding behavior.
J Neurophysiol. 2004 Jul;92(1):157-80. Read as PDF |
| Proekt A, Brezina V,
Weiss KR. Dynamical basis of
intentions and expectations in a simple neuronal network.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2004 Jun 22;101(25):9447-52. Read as PDF |
| Brezina V,
Orekhova IV, Weiss KR. Neuromuscular
modulation in Aplysia I. Dynamic model.
J Neurophysiol. 2003 Oct;90(4):2592-612. Read as PDF |
| Brezina V,
Orekhova IV, Weiss K. The
neuromuscular transform: the dynamic, nonlinear link between motor
neuron firing patterns and muscle contraction in rhythmic behaviors.
J Neurophysiol
2000 Jan;83(1):207-31. Read as PDF |
| Brezina V,
Weiss K. Analyzing the functional
consequences of transmitter complexity.
Trends Neurosci
1997 Nov;20(11):538-43. Read as PDF |
| Brezina V,
Orekhova IV, Weiss K. Control
of time-dependent biological processes by temporally patterned input.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
1997 Sep 16;94(19):10444-9. Read as PDF |
| Brezina V,
Orekhova IV, Weiss K.
Functional uncoupling of linked neurotransmitter effects by
combinatorial convergence.
Science
1996 Aug 9;273(5276):806-10. Read as PDF |
For a full list of publications, Click here.