Ellengene Peterson

Professor
Department of Biology
phone: 740-593-0016
peterson@ohio.edu

Research: Vestibular Neuroscience and Hair Cell Biomechanics

All vertebrates rely on the vestibular system to maintain balance and clear vision during normal behavior. Yet in spite of its central role in behavior, the vestibular system is one of our most poorly understood senses. At its most basic level, the vestibular system can be thought of as a pair of three-neuron arcs that link sensory receptors in the inner ear (hair cells in ampullae and otolith organs) with motor neurons that control neck and limb muscles (see figure) or eye muscles (not illustrated). These three-neuron arcs provide simple but powerful experimental models for analyzing sensorimotor trans-formations and motor learning.

Our experiments use an in vitro whole-brain preparation that includes the inner ear, brainstem, and neck musculature (see figure). This preparation allows us to study intact neurons and neural circuits that transform sensory signals into motor commands. Current studies focus on two subjects. (1) We analyze the neuronal circuits that stabilize posture and gaze using experimental electron microscopy and light microscopy of anatomically and physiologically characterized neurons. (2) We use light and electron microscopy, computer models, and laser interferometry to understand how vestibular hair cells detect head movement.

Education

 

Represenative Publications

• Fontilla, M.F., T.N Nguyen, and E.H. Peterson (1999) Ciliary bundle morphologies that encode the same direction of head movement in turtle utricle. Abs. for Association for Research in Otolaryngology. 22: 191.
• Huwe, J.A. and E.H. Peterson (1999) Posterior canal afferents to the lateral vestibular nucleus. Abs. for Association for Research in Otolaryngology. 22: 103.
• Smith, J.E. and E.H. Peterson (1999) Ultrastructure of posterior canal afferents to the lateral vestibular
  nucleus. Abs. for Association for Research in Otolaryngology. 22: 104.
• Barrett, M.C., E.H.Peterson, and J.W. Grant (1999) Extrinsic Fabry-Perot Interforometer for measuring the
  stiffness of ciliary bundles on hair cells. IEEE Transactions in Biomedical Engineering 46:331-339.
• E.H. Peterson (1998) Are there parallel channels in the vestibular nerve? News in Physiological Sciences
  13: 194-201.
• Cotton, J.R., J.W. Grant, and E.H. Peterson (1998) Mechanically nonlinear effects in deformation of hair cell
  ciliary bundles. Abs. for Association for Research in Otolaryngology. 21:144.