Eric I. Knudsen
Academic Appointments
- Professor, Neurobiology
- Member, Bio-X
Key Documents
Contact Information
- Academic Offices
Personal Information Email Tel (650) 723-5492Alternate Contact Eric Knudsen Professor Email Tel Work 650-723-5492
Professional Overview
Administrative Appointments
- Chair, Stanford University School of Medicine - Neurobiology (2001 - 2005)
- Professor, Stanford University School of Medicine - Neurobiology (1988 - present)
Honors and Awards
- Karl Spencer Lashley Award, American Philosophical Society (2008)
- Peter Gruber Prize in Neuroscience, Society for Neuroscience (2005)
- Member, National Academy of Sciences (2002)
- Edward C. and Amy H. Sewall Professorship, Stanford University School of Medicine (1995)
- Troland Research Award, National Academy of Sciences (1988)
- Young Investigator Award, Society for Neuroscience (1984)
Professional Education
| B.A.: | UC, Santa Barbara, Zoology (1971) |
| M.A.: | UC, Santa Barbara, Neuroscience (1973) |
| Ph.D.: | UC, San Diego, Neuroscience (1976) |
Graduate & Fellowship Program Affiliations
Community and International Work
- National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, Washington D.C.
Scientific Focus
Current Research Interests
We study mechanisms of attention and strategies of information processing in the central nervous system of birds (barn owls and chickens), using neurophysiological, pharmacological, anatomical and behavioral techniques. Studies focus on neural circuits that contribute to spatial attention (location-specific gain control of sensory responses). Both bottom-up mechanisms and top-down mechanisms are investigated. In addition, we study the rules by which auditory and visual information is combined into a single representation in the brain. Techniques offered in this laboratory include acoustic stimulation, extracellular recording, microstimulation, neuropharmacology, in vitro recording, immunohistochemistry, anatomical pathway tracing, and behavioral analysis.
Publications
- A shared inhibitory circuit for both exogenous and endogenous control of stimulus selection. Nat Neurosci. 2013; (4): 473-8
- Gamma oscillations are generated locally in an attention-related midbrain network. Neuron. 2012; (3): 567-80
- Reciprocal inhibition of inhibition: a circuit motif for flexible categorization in stimulus selection. Neuron. 2012; (1): 193-205
- Control from below: the role of a midbrain network in spatial attention. Eur J Neurosci. 2011; (11): 1961-72
- Flexible categorization of relative stimulus strength by the optic tectum. J Neurosci. 2011; (21): 7745-52
- Rules of competitive stimulus selection in a cholinergic isthmic nucleus of the owl midbrain. J Neurosci. 2011; (16): 6088-97
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