The Open UniversitySkip to content
 

Staff Profile

Dr Paul Gabbott

Senior Lecturer in Neuroscience


Profile



Paul Gabbott has an honours degree in Physics and Biological Sciences from Keele University and a PhD in Quantitative Neuroanantomy from The Open University. Before returning to the Open University in 2003, he undertook neuroanatomical research at Oxford University where he was initially a Beit Memorial Research Fellow and then a Wellcome Trust Research Career Development Fellow in the University Department of Pharmacology. Latterly he was an MRC Research Fellow in the Interdisciplinary Research Centre in the Department of Experimental Psychology at Oxford.




Qualifications


• B.Sc (Hons) Biological Sciences and Physics, University of Keele, Staffs. UK

• Ph.D Quantitative Neuroanatomy, The Open University, Milton Keynes. UK

Teaching Interests






SD805MSc.  ‘Issues in Brain and Behaviour’ (60pts - Science Postgraduate): Presentation Course Team Chair, Exam Board Chair

SK277  ‘Human Biology’ (30 pts – Science Level 2): Course Team Member, Exam Board Member, Award Board Member.

SDK125  ‘Introducing Health Sciences: A Case Study Approach' (30pts – Science Level 1): Course Team – Input to books and related DVDs on ‘Pain’ and ‘COPD'.




Research Interests


Functional neural circuits in the prefrontal cortex




The prefrontal areas of the mammalian brain are involved in ‘higher order brain functions’ such as cognition and goal-directed behaviours. Whilst the prefrontal cortex is known to be selectively affected by devastating neurological and psychological disorders (including Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia and depression), the neuroanatomical correlates are poorly defined. My main research interest concerns the structural and functional connectivity of the prefrontal cortex and related limbic regions in a variety of mammalian species, including man.

The ambitious research investigates the interconnectivity of neural networks in specific areas of the prefrontal cortex at a number of correlated levels of analysis ranging from neurochemically identified synaptic connections to functionally characterized neural circuits – not only as a result of normal development but alsoin specific behavioural paradigms.

The overall remit of the research is to identify key neural circuits in the prefrontal cortex that are specifically compromised in human brain disorders with the aim of identifying possible pharmacotherapeutic interventions.









Member of the Editorial Review Board for Brain Research.

Reviewer for specialist scientific journals: Brain Research, Neuroscience, Journal of Comparative Neurology, Neural Structure and Function, Cerebral Cortex, Journal of Neuroscience and Hippocampus.

Reviewer for grant awarding bodies: National Science Foundation (USA), MRC (UK), Wellcome Trust and Austrian Science Fund.


Current Research


Models of neuronal and synaptic organisation of the mammalian prefrontal cortex

Efferent synaptic connectivity of projection neurons in prefrontal cortex.

Amygdala input to corticospinal neurons in prelimbic cortex.

Layer 1 ‘Thorn cells’ in prefrontal cortex.

Subpopulations of corticospinal neurons in prelimbic cortex.

Morphology and three-dimensional synaptic connectivity of hilar ‘Mossy-cells’.

Quantitative definition of infralimbic cortical innervation of the periaqueductal grey.

Ultrastructural effects of beta-amyloid on the prelimbic cortex and hippocampus.

Projections from rat infralimbic cortex (area 25) to catecholaminergic brain stem neurons.

 

Collaborations

Promemoria EU Framework 6 Integrated Research Consortium:

Professor Carmen Sandi, Mind-Brain Institute, Lausanne. Switzerland.

Professor Marina Lynch, Neuroscience Institute, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland.

Professor Elizabeth Bock, Pannum Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Professor Gal Richter-Levin, Dept. of Physiology, Haifa University, Haifa, Israel.

Professor Serge Karnup, Dept of Physiology and Pharmacology, State University of New York, New York.

Professor Victor Popov, Institute of Cell Biophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Puschino, Russia.

Professor Wolfram Schultz, Dept of Anatomy, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England

Professor Edmund Rolls, Dept. Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, England.




Paul Gabbott
 
Email Direct email address:
paul.gabbott@open.ac.uk

Mail address Mail address:
Faculty of Science
Walton Hall
Milton Keynes
MK7 6AA

Telephone Telephone:
ext. 59469
+44 (0)1908 659469

© The Open University   +44 (0)845 300 60 90   Email us