Lorene Lanier, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Department of Neuroscience

E-MAIL: [email protected]


Research Interests

Developmental Plasticity
We are interested in understanding the molecular basis of developmental plasticity.  Current research is focused on medium spiny neurons (MSNs), the major type of neuron in the striatum.  The striatum plays an important role in regulation of movement, motivation and reward and altered or abnormal activity of MSNs is associated with neurological diseases such as Huntington's (HD) and Parkinson's (PD) and is thought to be a major determinant of addiction. These changes in MSN activity have been correlated with changes in dendritic arborization and the number, distribution and morphology of dendritic spines. Current research in the lab uses a recently developed in vitro system are to 1) determine how neurotransmitter signaling affects MSN development and morphology, 2) analyze neurotransmitter receptor trafficking during dendritic spine development and 3) characterize the relationship between MSN development and network excitability. To achieve these goals, we use a combination of multi-electrode array  (MEA) recordings and immunofluorescence microscopy to investigate the relationship between morphometric development and network activity of MSNs. Because it is easily amenable to molecular manipulation and microscopic visualization, future studies may use this in vitro model system to investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms that regulate MSN development and function, determine the consequences of disease associated gene mutations and screen for drugs that regulate MSN synaptic properties.

 

lanier

Selected Publications:

(For a comprehensive list of recent publications, refer to PubMed, a service provided by the National Library of Medicine.)

  • Eisinger KRT, Chapp AD, Swanson SP, Tam D, Lopresti NM, Larson EB, Thomas MJ, Lanier LM, Mermelstein PG 2020 Caveolin-1 regulates medium spiny neuron structural and functional plasticity. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2020 Sep;237(9):2673-2684.
  • Zick JL, Crowe DA, Blackman RK, Schultz K, Bergstrand DW, DeNicola AL, Carter RE, Ebner TJ, Lanier LM, Netoff TI, Chafee MV. Disparate insults relevant to schizophrenia converge on impaired spike synchrony and weaker synaptic interactions in prefrontal local circuits. Curr Biol. 2022 Jan 10;32(1):14-25.e4.
  • Bastian TW, von Hohenberg WC, Kaus OR, Lanier LM, Georgieff MK. Choline supplementation partially restores dendrite structural complexity in developing iron-deficient mouse hippocampal neurons. J Nutr. 2021 Dec 27:nxab429.
  • Zick JL, Crowe DA, Blackman RK, Schultz K, Bergstrand DW, DeNicola AL, Carter RE, Ebner TJ, Lanier LM, Netoff TI, Chafee MV. Disparate insults relevant to schizophrenia converge on impaired spike synchrony and weaker synaptic interactions in prefrontal local circuits. Curr Biol. 2021 Oct 20:S0960-9822(21)01363-4.
  • Eisinger KRT, Chapp AD, Swanson SP, Tam D, Lopresti NM, Larson EB, Thomas MJ, Lanier LM, Mermelstein PG. Caveolin-1 regulates medium spiny neuron structural and functional plasticity. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2020 Sep;237(9):2673-2684.
  • Bastian TW, von Hohenberg WC, Georgieff MK, Lanier LM. Chronic energy depletion due to iron deficiency impairs dendritic mitochondrial motility during hippocampal neuron development. J Neurosci. 2019;39(5):802-813.
  • Bastian TW, Duck KA, Michalopoulos GC, Chen MJ, Liu ZJ, Connor JR, Lanier LM, Sola-Visner MC, Georgieff MK. Eltrombopag, a thrombopoietin mimetic, crosses the blood-brain barrier and impairs iron-dependent hippocampal neuron dendrite development. J Thromb Haemost. 2017;15(3):565-574.
  • Bastian TW, Duck KA, Michalopoulos GC, Chen MJ, Liu ZJ, Connor JR, Lanier LM, Sola-Visner MC, Georgieff MK. Eltrombopag, a thrombopoietin mimetic, crosses the blood-brain barrier and impairs iron-dependent hippocampal neuron dendrite development. J Thromb Haemost. 2017;15:565-574.
  • Penrod RD, Campagna J, Panneck T, Preese L, Lanier LM. The presence of cortical neurons in striatal-cortical co-cultures alters the effects of dopamine and BDNF on medium spiny neuron dendritic development. Front Cell Neurosci. 2015 Jul 20;9:269.

Former Graduate Students:

Marcela Maldonado (Ph.D. 2009, Neuroscience, University of Minnesota).

Rachel Penrod (Ph.D. 2012, Neuroscience, University of Minnesota).

Lorene Lanier