Andrzej Wróbel - Current research in the Department (2003)

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# CURRENT RESEARCH IN THE DEPARTMENT (2003)

# `Andrzej Wróbel

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``The roots of neuroscience research at the Nencki Institute date back to 1911 when Edward Flatau founded a small laboratory of neurobiology devoted to histopathology of the nervous system. This laboratory was first affiliated with Warsaw Scientific Society and with the foundation of the Institute in 1918, formed one of its three first departments. In 1946, when the Nencki Institute was reincarnated after the war, Jerzy Konorski organized the Department of Neurophysiology with the aim to study the mechanisms of integrated activity of the brain. Under his direction, the Department became internationally known and was visited by many scientists from abroad eager to learn the contemporary trends in behavioral neurophysiology. After the regrettable death of Prof. Konorski in 1973, H. Enger Rosvold and Bogusław Żernicki brought together the tributes of his many pupils and scientific friends in two special issues of Acta Neurobiologiae Experimentalis, the Journal which he edited for so many years ("Memorial in Honor of Jerzy Konorski"; ANE, 1975; vol. 35, issues 5 and 6). In the Preface they wrote: "almost any topic in the neurosciences would be within his area of interest" and indeed, most of the research lines in the Department were started by his bright, foreseeing ideas. The major current topics still encompass anatomical/functional connectivity, the foundations of behavior and plasticity of the nervous system (the term introduced to neuroscience by Jerzy Konorski in 1948), including its developmental, adult and recovery aspects. These research topics are based on the long tradition of behavioral experiments and the methods incorporated into the Department by Professor Konorski. The methods he foresaw to be important have now been developed due to contemporary technical progress (i.e. neurochemical, histological, electrophysiological, neuroinformatic and modeling methods).
The modern trends in neurophysiology have been carefully and successfully continued by Prof. Bogusław Żernicki, the pupil and great follower of Professor J. Konorski, who led the Department from 1973 to 2001. Since 1959, when the Nencki Institute received the rights for promoting scientific degrees, 110 doctoral and 54 habilitation theses in the field of neurophysiology were defended in the Institute. Nineteen professorships in neuroscience were also recommended by the Scientific Council of the Institute and signed by the President of Poland. At present, the Department consists of twelve laboratories that focus on various aspects of brain function starting from its molecular and cellular bases up to the integrative mechanisms of neuronal networks and animal and human behavior (http://www.nencki.gov.pl/groups.htm).
Sensory systems and perception are studied on five models including the auditory system of the dog (with research focused on anatomical connectivity and functional role of the cortical areas); the visual system of the cat and the somatosensory system of the rat (devoted to basic functional physiology as well as attentional mechanisms underlying perception); the gustatory system of the cat (with analysis of early sensory deprivation), and finally, the human visual system (devoted to analysis of late components of event-related potentials). For more details on these research lines headed by Hanna Kosmal, Andrzej Wróbel and Andrzej Michalski look in Laboratories.
Systems of motor control are investigated in different aspects on the rat's model including mechanisms of neural control of locomotion, recovery of motor functions after central and peripheral injuries in young and adult animals, involvement of neurotrophins and cell adhesion molecules in neurodegeneration, strategies for stimulation of endogenous pools of regenerative proteins and plasticity processes in the neuromuscular system. (Heads of the laboratories: Urszula Sławińska and Julita Czarkowska-Bauch).
Emotion and memory are studied with the use of different behavioral paradigms in rats and dogs. The investigations on mechanisms of memory are devoted to strategies of learning, behavioral mechanisms of defensive and alimentary conditioning, mechanisms of spatial, recognition and emotional memory, as well as their neuronal substrates. Neurophysiological and neurochemical research on the emotional system focuses on mechanisms of aggression, fear and social behavior as well as limbic-motor interactions. On the molecular and cellular levels, studies concern the functional aspects of basal forebrain cholinergic system in the adult and aging brain and beta-amyloid induced toxicity in Alzheimer Disease. (Heads of the laboratories: Tomasz Werka, Stefan Kasicki, Andrzej Michalski and Danek Elbaum).
Neuropsychological approach is devoted to investigations on hemispheric asymmetry in cognitive and emotional functions; sex-related differences in functional brain organization; as well as mechanisms of speech, left-handedness and dyslexia. Close cooperation with human clinics allow for studies on perceptual, memory and attention deficits after brain damage in epileptic and Parkinsonian patients, subjects with cochlear implants and children with speech disorders. The mutual projects undertaken with clinical partners are important for setting our research in applied science. (Heads of the laboratories: Anna Grabowska, Elżbieta Szeląg and Remigiusz Tarnecki).
Finally the laboratory of ethology headed by Ewa J. Godzińska is devoted to ethopharmacological and sociobiological investigations on ants.
Despite the wide area of studied subjects, two common topics integrate research in the Department: intrinsic mechanisms of behavioral neurophysiology and plasticity of the nervous system. The traditional Wednesday seminars allow for the exchange of new ideas and hot discoveries between the research groups. These seminars also give the opportunity to discuss the lectures delivered by eminent visitors from all over the world on the occasion of their visits in the Department. The thematic seminars on ethology (http://www.nencki.gov.pl/ptetol/default.asp), neuroinformatics (http://www.nencki.gov.pl/labs/vslab/vislab.html) and psychophysiology as well as regular Journal Clubs are meant to keep track of the modern trends in neuroscience and are attended by interested scientists from different laboratories and cooperating academic institutions. In order to share the expensive facilities for newly implemented techniques, the specialized departmental laboratories are organized for use of all the groups. Already at work are histology, in vitro slice electrophysiology and HPLC laboratories. Modern behavioral and neuroinformatic setups equipped with digital recording and analyzing facilities are currently under organization.
Dynamic cooperations with leading institutions abroad allow for the integration of new techniques, enriching our experimental capabilities. Our research workers are considered important partners in the international cooperation that is attested by many international grants donated to them by EU, German-Polish governmental cooperation, McDonnell, Howard-Hughes and Fulbright Foundations as well as many worldwide institutional and informal agreements. In 2003, the Nencki Institute has received the status of the EU Center of Excellence for realization of the program "Bringing Research Advances in Neurobiology to Society” (BRAINS). The vital part of this program is being realized within the Department.
Members of the Department led the foundation of the Polish Neuroscience Society, and Polish Ethological Society. They have been successfully working in many domestic (e.g. Committees for Neurobiology and Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences) and international scientific organizations (IBRO, FENS, EBBS, OECD Science Forum and Dana Alliance for the Brain). During last thirty years five international conferences on "Brain and behavior" have been organized by the Department staff. The neurophysiologists are also very active in the popularization of the neuroscience in Poland by lecturing during annually organized events such as "Brain Week" and "Science Festival". During the last decade, two popular textbooks were written by the departmental members for Polish students taking courses of neuroscience: "The plasticity of the brain" (ed. M. Kossut) and "Brain and Behavior" (ed. T. Górska, A. Grabowska and J. Zagrodzka). Many issues of journals popularizing the scientific advances in Poland have also been written and edited by neurophysiologists from the Nencki Institute.
Last but not least, with the integrated editorial effort of the staff, the Department continues to publish the ICI indexed international journal Acta Neurobiologiae Experimentalis (http://www.nencki.gov.pl/AN.htm)that was founded in 1928 and has established its reputation under the editorial supervision of Jerzy Konorski and Bogusław Żernicki.`

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