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Steven Mennerick, PhD
Current
Position
Associate Professor of Psychiatry
University Roles
Chair, Neurosciences PhD Admissions Committee
Neurosciences PhD Steering Committee
Education and Training
PhD, Neurosciences, Washington University
postdoctoral, SUNY Stony Brook
Major Awards
Klingenstein Award in the Neurosciences
NARSAD Young Investigator Award
Areas of Research Interests
The broad aim of my research is to understand control of neuronal excitation and inhibition by neurotransmitters in the central nervous system. This is an important goal because neurotransmitter actions can be double-edged, underlying normal neurotransmission on the one hand and neurotoxicity on the other. In one project we are exploring the cellular and synaptic homeostatic response to physiological and pathophysiological depolarization. We find that the nervous system limits glutamate functioning but permits continued GABA functioning during and following excessive depolarization. These mechanisms likely help limit excitotoxicity during seizures or ischemia. In a second project, we are investigating properties of unmyelinated axons within the hippocampus. Although axons are pivotal in signaling between neurons, they remain a black box because of their small size. We have been using focal recording techniques to explore information processing in axons. Finally, we are involved in collaborative efforts to understand the mechanisms by which endogenous neuroactive steroids modulate GABA and glutamate receptor function and an effort to understand synaptic dysfunction in Alzheimer's models. For all of these studies we use electrophysiological, molecular, and imaging techniques applied to simple in vitro systems of neurons in culture and to intact brain slices, as well as to heterologous expression systems.
Key Publications
Eisenman LN, Shu HJ, Akk G, Wang C, Manion BD, Kress GJ, Evers AS, Steinbach JH, Covey DF, Zorumski CF, Mennerick S (2007 Apr). Anticonvulsant and anesthetic effects of a fluorescent neurosteroid analog activated by visible light. Nat Neurosci. 10(4): 523-30. Full Article ->
Akk G, Covey DF, Evers AS, Steinbach JH, Zorumski CF, Mennerick S (2007 Oct). Mechanisms of neurosteroid interactions with GABA(A) receptors. Pharmacol Ther. 116(1): 35-57. Full Article ->
Cirrito JR, Kang JE, Lee J, Stewart FR, Verges DK, Silverio LM, Bu G, Mennerick S, Holtzman DM (2008 Apr 10). Endocytosis is required for synaptic activity-dependent release of amyloid-beta in vivo. Neuron. 58(1): 42-51. Full Article ->
Kress GJ, Dowling MJ, Meeks JP, Mennerick S (2008 Jul). High threshold, proximal initiation, and slow conduction velocity of action potentials in dentate granule neuron mossy fibers. J Neurophysiol. 100(1): 281-91. Full Article ->
Moulder KL, Jiang X, Chang C, Taylor AA, Benz AM, Conti AC, Muglia LJ, Mennerick S (2008 May 14). A specific role for Ca2+-dependent adenylyl cyclases in recovery from adaptive presynaptic silencing. J Neurosci. 28(20): 5159-68. Full Article ->
Meeks JP, Mennerick S (2007). Astrocyte membrane responses and potassium accumulation during neuronal activity. Hippocampus. 17(11): 1100-8. Full Article ->
Funded Research Projects
NIGMS(Key Personnel):Anesthetics: Cellular and Molecular Actions - Project 4: Physiological Studies of Neurosteroid Analogs
NIMH(PI):Control of Synaptic Glutamate Release
NIMH(Key Personnel):Modulation of Hippocampal Synaptic Plasticity
NINDS(PI):Axonal Signaling in the Hippocampus
NINDS(Key Personnel):Washington University Center for Translational Neuroscience (Core F)