Eric I. Knudsen

Administrative Appointments

• Chair, Stanford University School of Medicine - Neurobiology (2001 - 2005)
• Professor, Stanford University School of Medicine - Neurobiology (1988 - present)

Honors and Awards

• 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)

Postdoctoral Advisees

Ali Asadollahi, Carson Goddard, Shreesh Mysore

Graduate & Fellowship Program Affiliations

• Neurobiology
• Neurosciences

Community & International Work

• National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, Washington D.C. 

Research Interests

We study mechanisms of attention, learning and strategies of information processing in the central auditory system of developing and adult barn owls, using neurophysiological, pharmacological, anatomical and behavioral techniques. Studies focus on the process of sound localization. Sound localization is shaped powerfully by an animal's auditory and visual experience. Experiments are being conducted to elucidate developmental influences, extent and time course of this learning process, and its dependence on visual feedback. The cellular mechanisms that underlie this example of learning are being studied to determine how experience adaptively alters the anatomical, pharmacological and functional properties of the brain in developing and adult animals. In addition, we study mechanisms of attention (gain control of sensory responses) and 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, immunohistochemistry, anatomical pathway tracing, and behavioral analysis.

Publications

• Fundamental components of attention. Knudsen EI, "Annu Rev Neurosci" 2007 : (30) : 57-78
• Intrinsic excitability of cholinergic neurons in the rat parabigeminal nucleus. Goddard CA, Knudsen EI, Huguenard JR "J Neurophysiol" 2007 ; 6 (98) : 3486-93
• Top-down control of multimodal sensitivity in the barn owl optic tectum. Winkowski DE, Knudsen EI "J Neurosci" 2007 ; 48 (27) : 13279-91
• Adaptive auditory plasticity in developing and adult animals. Keuroghlian AS, Knudsen EI "Prog Neurobiol" 2007 ; 3 (82) : 109-21
• Adaptation in the auditory space map of the barn owl. Gutfreund Y, Knudsen EI "J Neurophysiol" 2006 ; 2 (96) : 813-25