Steve Prescott

Prescott, Steven A.
Assistant Professor, Neurobiology
M.D. Ph.D., McGill University (2005)
Address: W1455 BSTWR
200 Lothrop Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15213-2536
Telephone: 412-648-2068
Fax: 412-648-1441
E-mail: prescott@neurobio.pitt.edu
Lab Website: http://prescottlab.neurobio.pitt.edu

Computational Basis of Pain Processing

Our research focuses on how neurons process information and how that processing impacts pain perception under normal and pathological conditions. This research is motivated by the view that deciphering how the processing of sensory information becomes deranged following neuropathy will help us understand and treat the perceptual abnormalities (e.g. allodynia and hyperalgesia) associated with neuropathic pain.

One specific goal is to unravel the neural circuitry in the superficial dorsal horn of the spinal cord using a combination of electrophysiology, retrograde labeling, and calcium imaging. Given the intrinsic cellular properties and synaptic connectivity, the next goal is to characterize the flow of information through the circuit. Computer simulations will help determine precisely how changes in cellular and synaptic properties impact circuit function, leading to specific predictions that will be tested experimentally. Reversible inactivation of circuit components and pharmacological modulation will be tested in vivo in order to help translate physiological knowledge into behaviorally relevant understanding that may have clinical implications.

Sample Publications:

Prescott SA, Sejnowski TJ, De Koninck Y. Reduction of anion reversal potential subverts the inhibitory control of firing rate in spinal lamina I neurons: towards a biophysical basis for neuropathic pain. Mol Pain. 2006 Oct 13;2:32.

Prescott SA, Ratté S, De Koninck Y, Sejnowski TJ. Nonlinear interaction between shunting and adaptation controls a switch between integration and coincidence detection in pyramidal neurons. J Neurosci. 2006 Sep 6;26(36):9084-97.

Prescott SA, De Koninck Y. Integration time in a subset of spinal lamina I neurons is lengthened by sodium and calcium currents acting synergistically to prolong subthreshold depolarization. J Neurosci. 2005 May 11;25(19):4743-54.

Coull JA, Boudreau D, Bachand K, Prescott SA, Nault F, Sík A, De Koninck P, De Koninck Y. Trans-synaptic shift in anion gradient in spinal lamina I neurons as a mechanism of neuropathic pain. Nature. 2003 Aug 21;424(6951):938-42.

Prescott SA, De Koninck Y. Gain control of firing rate by shunting inhibition: roles of synaptic noise and dendritic saturation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2003 Feb 18;100(4):2076-81. Epub 2003 Feb 4.

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