My primary research interest is in the organization and function of higher order somatosensory cortex. In addition, I, in conjunction with colleagues, have developed a model for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), magnetoencephalography (MEG) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). We have begun comparing imaging results to data collected using invasive gold standard methods such as electrophysiological recording and neuroanatomical tracer injections. Further, we have recently begun to study higher order somato-motor function in Parkinsons disease. We are using fMRI and MEG to measure cortical and subcortical responses to a task hierarchy designed to examine cognitive functions such as motor planning and inhibition, cognitive switching and memory.

Publications:

Antognini, J. F., Buonocore, M. H., Disbrow, E. A., Carstens, E. Isoflurance anesthesia blunts cerebral responses to noxious and inocuous stimuli: A functional MRI study. Life Sciences, 16(24), 349-354: 1997

Disbrow, E., Slutsky, D., Krubitzer, L. Corical and thalamic connections of the parietal ventral area(PV) in the macaque monkey. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts, 24, 130: 1998

Disbrow, E., Slutsky, D., Roberts, T.P.L., and Krubitzer, L. Functional MRI in the anesthetized macaque monkey: Does the BOLD signal reflect underlying electrophysiology. Society for Neuroscience Abstract, 25, 1166: 1998

Disbrow, E., Krubitzer, L., Rowley, H., Roberts, T. Somatotopic organization of the lateral sulcus in humans. Neuroimage, 7(4) S408: 1998

Slutsky, D., Disbrow, E., Roberts, T.P.L., and Krubitzer, L. Functional MRIin anesthetized topographic organization of somatosensory area 3a in the macaque monkey (Macaca Mulatta). Society for Neuroscience. 25, 1166. 1999

Huffman, K., Slutsky, D., Disbrow, E., Kahn, D., Recanzone, G., Krubitzer, L. The topographic organization of somatosensory area 3a in the macaque monkey (Macaca Mulatta). Society for Neuroscience Abstract. 25, 1166: 1999

Roberts, T.P.L., Disbrow, E., Kahn, D., Szymanski, M., and Rowley, H., Quantification of cortical extent of activation with fMRI and MEG. Proceedings of the American Society of Neuroradiology. 156: 1999

Disbrow, E., Roberts, T.P.L., Slutsku, E., and Krubitzer L. The combined use of functional imaging and neuroanatomy to examine the second somatosensory area and surrounding cortex. Neuroimage. 9, S842: 1999

Nagaro, T., Takaishi, K., Kojo, H., Disbrow, E., Eisele, J. The repeatability of Hargraves' Plantar test in the normal rat. Pain Research, 12, 15-19: 1997

Disbrow, E., Krubitzer, L., Poeppel, D., Sekihara, K., Rowley, H., Investigation of the response to universus bilateral somatosensory input using MEG and fMRI. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts, 23, 230.12: 1997

Disbrow, E., Bunocore, M. Antognini, J., Carstens, E., Rowley, H. The somatosensory cortex: A comparison of the response to noxious thermal, mechanical and electrical stimuli using fMRI. Human Brain Mapping, 6(3), 150-159: 1998

Baron, R., Baron, Y., Disbrow, E., Brain processing of capsaicin-iduced secondary hyperalgesia: a functional MRI study. Neurology, 53(3), 548-557: 1999

Disbrow, E. Roberts, T. P. L., Slutsky, D., and Krubitzer, L. Somatopy of SI in anesthetized macaque monkeys demonstrated using functional MRI. Brain Research, 829, 167-173: 1999

Disbrow, E., Slutsky, D., Robert, T.P.L., Krubitzer, L., Functional MRI at 1.5 tesla: A comparison of the blood oxygenation level-dependent signal and electrophysiology. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA, 97(17), 9718-9723: 2000

Disbrow, E., Robert, T. P. L., and Krubitzer, L. The somatotopic organization of the lateral sulcus areas in Homo Sapiens: Evidence for SII and PV. Journal of Comparative Neurology, 418(N1), 1-21: 2000

Roberts, T. P. L., Disbrow, E., Roberts, H. C., Rowley, H. A. Quatification and reproducibility of cortical extent of activation with fMRI and MEG. American Journal of Neuroradiology, 21(8), 1366-1387: 2000.

Baron, R., Baron, Y., Disbrow, E., Roberts, T.P.L. Activation of te somatosensory cortex during A beta fiber mediated hyperalgesia - a MSI study, Brain Research, 871(1), 75-82: 2001

Disbrow, E., Litinas, E., Recanzone, G.H., Slutsky, D., Krubitzer, L. Thalamocortical connections of somatosensory areas PV and S2 in macaque monkeys. Thalamus and Related Systems, 1(4), 289-302: 2002

Disbrow, E., Litinas, E., Recanzone, G.H., Krubitzer L. Cortical connections of the second somatosensory area and the parietal ventral area in macaque monkeys. Journal of Comparative Neurology, 462(4), 382-399:2003

L. Krubitzer, Huffman, K. J., Disbrow, E., Recanzone, G. The organization of area 3a in macaque monkeys: Contributions to the cortical phenotype. Journal of Comparative Neurology, 471(1): 97-111. 2003

J. Padberg, Disbrow, E., and Krubitzer, L. The organization and connections of anterior and posterior parietal cortex in monkeys: Do new world monkeys have an area 2? Cerebral Cortex: 1-26. In Press

Z. Zhu, Disbrow, E.A., Zumer, J. M., McGonigle, D. J., Nagarajan, S. S. Representation and interaction of digits in human primary and somatosensory cortex. In Press.