My research interests include the functions of cells, synapses, and circuits in the cerebral cortex and thalamus, and mechanisms of epilepsy and neurodevelopmental disorders.
I received my PhD from Duke University in physiology and pharmacology, worked as a postdoctoral fellow and faculty member at Stanford University, and joined the Brown faculty in 1987. I served as Chair of the Department of Neuroscience from 2006 to 2016. I am currently a Professor Emeritus of Neuroscience, and I no longer run a research laboratory.
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Infrabarrels in layer 6
Two inhibitory pathways in the thalamus
A corticothalamic switch
Tuberous sclerosis and the thalamus
Ups and Downs of Interneurons
Optogenetic control of familiarity
Optogenetics and the TC pathway
Electrical synapses and circadian rhythms
Plasticity of electrical synapses
Electrical synapses in the cerebral cortex
Mechanisms of feed-forward inhibition
Neuronal gap junction blocker: mefloquine
Frederic Pouille, Brown Univ
Brian Theyel, Brown Univ
| Theyel, Brian B., Stevenson, Rachel J., Connors, Barry W. "Activity-Dependent Ectopic Spiking in Parvalbumin-Expressing Interneurons of the Neocortex." eneuro, vol. 11, no. 5, 2024, pp. ENEURO.0314-23.2024. |
| Zhang YZ, Sapantzi S, Lin A, Doelfel SR, Connors BW, Theyel BB. "Activity-dependent ectopic action potentials in regular-spiking neurons of the neocortex." Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, vol. 17, 2023, pp. 1267687. |
| Martinez-Garcia, Rosa I., Voelcker, Bettina, Zaltsman, Julia B., Patrick, Saundra L., Stevens, Tanya R., Connors, Barry W., Cruikshank, Scott J. "Publisher Correction: Two dynamically distinct circuits drive inhibition in the sensory thalamus." Nature, 2020. |
| Martinez-Garcia RI, Voelcker B, Zaltsman JB, Patrick SL, Stevens TR, Connors BW, Cruikshank SJ. "Two dynamically distinct circuits drive inhibition in the sensory thalamus." Nature, vol. 583, no. 7818, 2020, pp. 813-818. |
| Martinez-Garcia, Rosa I, Voelcker, Bettina, Zaltsman, Julia B, Patrick, Saundra L, Stevens, Tanya, Connors, Barry W, Cruikshank, Scott J. "Two dynamically distinct circuits driving inhibition in sensory thalamus." BioRxiv, 2020. |
| Sahin M, Jones SR, Sweeney JA, Berry-Kravis E, Connors BW, Ewen JB, Hartman AL, Levin AR, Potter WZ, Mamounas LA. "Discovering translational biomarkers in neurodevelopmental disorders." Nature reviews. Drug discovery, vol. 18, no. 4, 2019, pp. 235-236. |
| Cao XJ, Lin L, Sugden AU, Connors BW, Oertel D. "Nitric Oxide-Mediated Plasticity of Interconnections Between T-Stellate cells of the Ventral Cochlear Nucleus Generate Positive Feedback and Constitute a Central Gain Control in the Auditory System." Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 39, no. 31, 2019, pp. 6095-6107. |
| Goodwill HL, Manzano-Nieves G, LaChance P, Teramoto S, Lin S, Lopez C, Stevenson RJ, Theyel BB, Moore CI, Connors BW, Bath KG. "Early Life Stress Drives Sex-Selective Impairment in Reversal Learning by Affecting Parvalbumin Interneurons in Orbitofrontal Cortex of Mice." Cell Reports, vol. 25, no. 9, 2018, pp. 2299-2307.e4. |
| Crandall SR, Patrick SL, Cruikshank SJ, Connors BW. "Infrabarrels Are Layer 6 Circuit Modules in the Barrel Cortex that Link Long-Range Inputs and Outputs." Cell Reports, vol. 21, no. 11, 2017, pp. 3065-3078. |
| Blaeser AS, Connors BW, Nurmikko AV. "Spontaneous Dynamics of Neural Networks in Deep Layers of Prefrontal Cortex." Journal of Neurophysiology, 2017, pp. jn.00295.2016. |
| Connors BW. "Synchrony and So Much More: Diverse Roles for Electrical Synapses in Neural Circuits." Developmental Neurobiology, 2017. |
| Barth L, Burkhalter A, Callaway EM, Connors BW, Cauli B, DeFelipe J, Feldmeyer D, Freund T, Kawaguchi Y, Kisvarday Z, Kubota Y, McBain C, Oberlaender M, Rossier J, Rudy B, Staiger JF, Somogyi P, Tamas G, Yuste R. "Comment on "Principles of connectivity among morphologically defined cell types in adult neocortex"." Science, vol. 353, no. 6304, 2016, pp. 1108. |
| Neske GT, Connors BW. "Distinct Roles of SOM and VIP Interneurons during Cortical Up States." Frontiers in neural circuits, vol. 10, 2016, pp. 52. |
| Crandall SR, Connors BW. "Diverse Ensembles of Inhibitory Interneurons." Neuron, vol. 90, no. 1, 2016, pp. 4-6. |
| Zolnik TA, Connors BW. "Electrical synapses and the development of inhibitory circuits in the thalamus." The Journal of Physiology, vol. 594, no. 10, 2016, pp. 2579-92. |
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W.F. Boron, E.L. Boulpaep et al.
Medical Physiology, 3rd ed.; chapters 12 (Physiology of neurons), 13 (Synaptic transmission in the nervous system), 15 (Sensory transduction), 16 (Circuits of the central nervous system) Medical Physiology: A Cellular and Molecular Approach, 3rd Ed. Philadelphia, Elsevier, 2016.
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| Neske, Garrett T., Connors, Barry W. "Synchronized gamma-frequency inhibition in neocortex depends on excitatory-inhibitory interactions but not electrical synapses." Journal of Neurophysiology, 2016, pp. jn.00071.2016. |
| Crandall SR, Cruikshank SJ, Connors BW. "A Corticothalamic Switch: Controlling the Thalamus with Dynamic Synapses." Neuron, vol. 86, no. 3, 2015, pp. 768-82. |
| Ho JW, Poeta DL, Jacobson TK, Zolnik TA, Neske GT, Connors BW, Burwell RD. "Bidirectional Modulation of Recognition Memory." Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 35, no. 39, 2015, pp. 13323-35. |
| Neske GT, Patrick SL, Connors BW. "Contributions of Diverse Excitatory and Inhibitory Neurons to Recurrent Network Activity in Cerebral Cortex." Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 35, no. 3, 2015, pp. 1089-105. |
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Bear MF, Connors BW, Paradiso MA.
Neuroscience: Exploring the Brain, 4th ed.. 2015.
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| Lee SC, Patrick SL, Richardson KA, Connors BW. "Two functionally distinct networks of gap junction-coupled inhibitory neurons in the thalamic reticular nucleus." Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 34, no. 39, 2014, pp. 13170-82. |
| Normand EA, Crandall SR, Thorn CA, Murphy EM, Voelcker B, Browning C, Machan JT, Moore CI, Connors BW, Zervas M. "Temporal and mosaic Tsc1 deletion in the developing thalamus disrupts thalamocortical circuitry, neural function, and behavior." Neuron, vol. 78, no. 5, 2013, pp. 895-909. |
| Amitai Y, Connors BW. "Too Much of a Good Thing May Not Be Wonderful: GluR1 Phosphorylation and the Consequences of Early-Life Seizures." Epilepsy currents / American Epilepsy Society, vol. 13, no. 3, 2013, pp. 124-6. |
| Sills JB, Connors BW, Burwell RD. "Electrophysiological and morphological properties of neurons in layer 5 of the rat postrhinal cortex." Hippocampus, vol. 22, no. 9, 2012, pp. 1912-22. |
| Kim JA, Connors BW. "High temperatures alter physiological properties of pyramidal cells and inhibitory interneurons in hippocampus." Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, vol. 6, 2012, pp. 27. |
| Amitai Y, Connors BW. "Neuregulation: NRG1 Tames Interneurons and Epilepsy." Epilepsy currents / American Epilepsy Society, vol. 12, no. 4, 2012, pp. 155-6. |
| Connors BW. "Tales of a dirty drug: carbenoxolone, gap junctions, and seizures." Epilepsy currents / American Epilepsy Society, vol. 12, no. 2, 2012, pp. 66-8. |
| Cruikshank SJ, Ahmed OJ, Stevens TR, Patrick SL, Gonzalez AN, Elmaleh M, Connors BW. "Thalamic control of layer 1 circuits in prefrontal cortex." Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 32, no. 49, 2012, pp. 17813-23. |
| Connors BW, Ahmed OJ. "Integration and autonomy in axons." Nature Neuroscience, vol. 14, no. 2, 2011, pp. 128-30. |
| Hayut I, Fanselow EE, Connors BW, Golomb D. "LTS and FS inhibitory interneurons, short-term synaptic plasticity, and cortical circuit dynamics." PLOS Computational Biology, vol. 7, no. 10, 2011, pp. e1002248. |
| Connors BW. "The ins and outs of interneurons in epileptic neocortex." Epilepsy currents / American Epilepsy Society, vol. 11, no. 6, 2011, pp. 198-9. |
| Lee SC, Cruikshank SJ, Connors BW. "Electrical and chemical synapses between relay neurons in developing thalamus." The Journal of Physiology, vol. 588, no. Pt 13, 2010, pp. 2403-15. |
| Connors BW, Zolnik TA, Lee SC. "Enhanced functions of electrical junctions." Neuron, vol. 67, no. 3, 2010, pp. 354-6. |
| Wang, Jing, Borton, David, Zhang, Jiayi, Van Wagenen, Rick, Burwell, Rebecca, Connors, Barry, Nurmikko, Arto. "Integrated Optoelectronics for Neural Stimulation and Recording in Freely Moving Animals." Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics 2010, 2010. |
| Cruikshank SJ, Urabe H, Nurmikko AV, Connors BW. "Pathway-specific feedforward circuits between thalamus and neocortex revealed by selective optical stimulation of axons." Neuron, vol. 65, no. 2, 2010, pp. 230-45. |
| Fanselow EE, Connors BW. "The roles of somatostatin-expressing (GIN) and fast-spiking inhibitory interneurons in UP-DOWN states of mouse neocortex." Journal of Neurophysiology, vol. 104, no. 2, 2010, pp. 596-606. |
| Zhang J, Laiwalla F, Kim JA, Urabe H, Van Wagenen R, Song YK, Connors BW, Nurmikko AV. "A microelectrode array incorporating an optical waveguide device for stimulation and spatiotemporal electrical recording of neural activity." 2007 29th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, vol. 2009, 2009, pp. 2046-9. |
| Zhang, Jiayi, Laiwalla, Farah, Kim, Jennifer A, Urabe, Hayato, Van Wagenen, Rick, Song, Yoon-Kyu, Connors, Barry W, Zhang, Feng, Deisseroth, Karl, Nurmikko, Arto V. "Integrated device for optical stimulation and spatiotemporal electrical recording of neural activity in light-sensitized brain tissue." J. Neural Eng., vol. 6, no. 5, 2009, pp. 055007. |
| Zhang, Jiayi Q., Laiwalla, Farah, Kim, Jennifer, Van Wagenen, Rick, Song, Yoon-Kyu, Connors, Barry, Nurmikko, Arto V. "Optical Control of Neural Activity by Waveguide Delivery in Genetically Targeted Brain Tissue." Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics/International Quantum Electronics Conference, 2009. |
| Parker PR, Cruikshank SJ, Connors BW. "Stability of electrical coupling despite massive developmental changes of intrinsic neuronal physiology." Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 29, no. 31, 2009, pp. 9761-70. |
| Cruikshank SJ, Connors BW. "Neuroscience: State-sanctioned synchrony." J. Geophys. Res., vol. 454, no. 7206, 2008, pp. 839-40. |
| Fanselow EE, Richardson KA, Connors BW. "Selective, state-dependent activation of somatostatin-expressing inhibitory interneurons in mouse neocortex." Journal of Neurophysiology, vol. 100, no. 5, 2008, pp. 2640-52. |
| Connors BW, Cruikshank SJ. "Bypassing interneurons: inhibition in neocortex." Nature Neuroscience, vol. 10, no. 7, 2007, pp. 808-10. |
| Venkataramani S, Davitt KM, Xu H, Zhang J, Song YK, Connors BW, Nurmikko AV. "Semiconductor ultra-violet light-emitting diodes for flash photolysis." Journal of Neuroscience Methods, vol. 160, no. 1, 2007, pp. 5-9. |
| Cruikshank SJ, Lewis TJ, Connors BW. "Synaptic basis for intense thalamocortical activation of feedforward inhibitory cells in neocortex." Nature Neuroscience, vol. 10, no. 4, 2007, pp. 462-8. |
| Mancilla JG, Lewis TJ, Pinto DJ, Rinzel J, Connors BW. "Synchronization of electrically coupled pairs of inhibitory interneurons in neocortex." Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 27, no. 8, 2007, pp. 2058-73. |
| Landisman CE, Connors BW. "VPM and PoM nuclei of the rat somatosensory thalamus: intrinsic neuronal properties and corticothalamic feedback." Cerebral Cortex, vol. 17, no. 12, 2007, pp. 2853-65. |
| Patrick SL, Connors BW, Landisman CE. "Developmental changes in somatostatin-positive interneurons in a freeze-lesion model of epilepsy." Epilepsy Research, vol. 70, no. 2-3, 2006, pp. 161-71. |
| Long MA, Cruikshank SJ, Jutras MJ, Connors BW. "Abrupt maturation of a spike-synchronizing mechanism in neocortex." Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 25, no. 32, 2005, pp. 7309-16. |
| Venkataramani, S., Davitt, K.M., Jiayi Zhang, None, Heng Xu, None, Yoon-Kyu Song, None, Connors, B.W., Nurmikko, A.V. "Compact semiconductor light-emitting diodes for dynamic imaging of neuronal circuitry." IEEE J. Select. Topics Quantum Electron., vol. 11, no. 4, 2005, pp. 785-790. |
| Cruikshank SJ, Landisman CE, Mancilla JG, Connors BW. "Connexon connexions in the thalamocortical system." Progress in brain research, vol. 149, 2005, pp. 41-57. |
| Song YK, Patterson WR, Bull CW, Beals J, Hwang N, Deangelis AP, Lay C, McKay JL, Nurmikko AV, Fellows MR, Simeral JD, Donoghue JP, Connors BW. "Development of a chipscale integrated microelectrode/microelectronic device for brain implantable neuroengineering applications." IEEE Trans. Neural Syst. Rehabil. Eng., vol. 13, no. 2, 2005, pp. 220-226. |
| Gibson JR, Beierlein M, Connors BW. "Functional properties of electrical synapses between inhibitory interneurons of neocortical layer 4." Journal of Neurophysiology, vol. 93, no. 1, 2005, pp. 467-80. |
| Pinto DJ, Patrick SL, Huang WC, Connors BW. "Initiation, propagation, and termination of epileptiform activity in rodent neocortex in vitro involve distinct mechanisms." Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 25, no. 36, 2005, pp. 8131-40. |
| Landisman CE, Connors BW. "Long-term modulation of electrical synapses in the mammalian thalamus." Science, vol. 310, no. 5755, 2005, pp. 1809-13. |
| Fanselow EE, Connors BW. "Navigating a sensorimotor loop." Neuron, vol. 45, no. 3, 2005, pp. 329-30. |
| Patterson WR, Song YK, Bull CW, Ozden I, Deangellis AP, Lay C, McKay JL, Nurmikko AV, Donoghue JD, Connors BW. "A microelectrode/microelectronic hybrid device for brain implantable neuroprosthesis applications." IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, vol. 51, no. 10, 2004, pp. 1845-53. |
| Song YK, Patterson WR, Bull CW, Hwang NJ, Deangelis AP, Lay C, McKay JL, Nurmikko AV, Donoghue JD, Connors BW. "Development of an integrated microelectrode/microelectronic device for brain implantable neuroengineering applications." 2007 29th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, vol. 6, 2004, pp. 4053-6. |
| Long, Michael A, Jutras, Michael J, Connors, Barry W, Burwell, Rebecca D. "Electrical synapses coordinate activity in the suprachiasmatic nucleus." Nature Neuroscience, vol. 8, no. 1, 2004, pp. 61-6. |
| Connors BW, Long MA. "Electrical synapses in the mammalian brain." Annual Review of Neuroscience, vol. 27, 2004, pp. 393-418. |
| Cruikshank SJ, Hopperstad M, Younger M, Connors BW, Spray DC, Srinivas M. "Potent block of Cx36 and Cx50 gap junction channels by mefloquine." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 101, no. 33, 2004, pp. 12364-9. |
| Long MA, Landisman CE, Connors BW. "Small clusters of electrically coupled neurons generate synchronous rhythms in the thalamic reticular nucleus." Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 24, no. 2, 2004, pp. 341-9. |
| Ozden I, Venkataramani S, Long MA, Connors BW, Nurmikko AV. "Strong coupling of nonlinear electronic and biological oscillators: reaching the "amplitude death" regime." Phys. Rev. Lett., vol. 93, no. 15, 2004, pp. 158102. |
| Beierlein M, Gibson JR, Connors BW. "Two dynamically distinct inhibitory networks in layer 4 of the neocortex." Journal of Neurophysiology, vol. 90, no. 5, 2003, pp. 2987-3000. |
| Telfeian AE, Connors BW. "Widely integrative properties of layer 5 pyramidal cells support a role for processing of extralaminar synaptic inputs in rat neocortex." Neuroscience Letters, vol. 343, no. 2, 2003, pp. 121-4. |
| Landisman CE, Long MA, Beierlein M, Deans MR, Paul DL, Connors BW. "Electrical synapses in the thalamic reticular nucleus." Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 22, no. 3, 2002, pp. 1002-9. |
| Long MA, Deans MR, Paul DL, Connors BW. "Rhythmicity without synchrony in the electrically uncoupled inferior olive." Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 22, no. 24, 2002, pp. 10898-905. |
| Beierlein M, Connors BW. "Short-term dynamics of thalamocortical and intracortical synapses onto layer 6 neurons in neocortex." Journal of Neurophysiology, vol. 88, no. 4, 2002, pp. 1924-32. |
| Connors BW. "Single-neuron mnemonics." J. Geophys. Res., vol. 420, no. 6912, 2002, pp. 133-4. |
| Amitai Y, Gibson JR, Beierlein M, Patrick SL, Ho AM, Connors BW, Golomb D. "The spatial dimensions of electrically coupled networks of interneurons in the neocortex." Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 22, no. 10, 2002, pp. 4142-52. |
| Connors BW, Pinto DJ, Telfeian AE. "Local pathways of seizure propagation in neocortex." International review of neurobiology, vol. 45, 2001, pp. 527-46. |
| Deans MR, Gibson JR, Sellitto C, Connors BW, Paul DL. "Synchronous activity of inhibitory networks in neocortex requires electrical synapses containing connexin36." Neuron, vol. 31, no. 3, 2001, pp. 477-85. |
| Beierlein M, Gibson JR, Connors BW. "A network of electrically coupled interneurons drives synchronized inhibition in neocortex." Nature Neuroscience, vol. 3, no. 9, 2000, pp. 904-10. |
| Connors BW, Telfeian AE. "Dynamic properties of cells, synapses, circuits, and seizures in neocortex." Advances in neurology, vol. 84, 2000, pp. 141-52. |
| Finnerty GT, Connors BW. "Sensory deprivation without competition yields modest alterations of short-term synaptic dynamics." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 97, no. 23, 2000, pp. 12864-8. |
| Gil Z, Connors BW, Amitai Y. "Efficacy of thalamocortical and intracortical synaptic connections: quanta, innervation, and reliability." Neuron, vol. 23, no. 2, 1999, pp. 385-97. |
| Telfeian AE, Connors BW. "Epileptiform propagation patterns mediated by NMDA and non-NMDA receptors in rat neocortex." Epilepsia, vol. 40, no. 11, 1999, pp. 1499-506. |
| Zhu JJ, Connors BW. "Intrinsic firing patterns and whisker-evoked synaptic responses of neurons in the rat barrel cortex." Journal of Neurophysiology, vol. 81, no. 3, 1999, pp. 1171-83. |
| Finnerty GT, Roberts LS, Connors BW. "Sensory experience modifies the short-term dynamics of neocortical synapses." J. Geophys. Res., vol. 400, no. 6742, 1999, pp. 367-71. |
| Gibson JR, Beierlein M, Connors BW. "Two networks of electrically coupled inhibitory neurons in neocortex." J. Geophys. Res., vol. 402, no. 6757, 1999, pp. 75-9. |
| Cauller LJ, Clancy B, Connors BW. "Backward cortical projections to primary somatosensory cortex in rats extend long horizontal axons in layer I." The Journal of Comparative Neurology, vol. 390, no. 2, 1998, pp. 297-310. |
| Telfeian AE, Connors BW. "Layer-specific pathways for the horizontal propagation of epileptiform discharges in neocortex." Epilepsia, vol. 39, no. 7, 1998, pp. 700-8. |
| Gil Z, Connors BW, Amitai Y. "Differential regulation of neocortical synapses by neuromodulators and activity." Neuron, vol. 19, no. 3, 1997, pp. 679-86. |
| Castro-Alamancos MA, Connors BW. "Distinct forms of short-term plasticity at excitatory synapses of hippocampus and neocortex." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 94, no. 8, 1997, pp. 4161-6. |
| Connors BW, Amitai Y. "Making waves in the neocortex." Neuron, vol. 18, no. 3, 1997, pp. 347-9. |
| Castro-Alamancos MA, Connors BW. "Thalamocortical synapses." Progress in neurobiology, vol. 51, no. 6, 1997, pp. 581-606. |
| Castro-Alamancos MA, Connors BW. "Cellular mechanisms of the augmenting response: short-term plasticity in a thalamocortical pathway." Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 16, no. 23, 1996, pp. 7742-56. |
| Nicoll A, Kim HG, Connors BW. "Laminar origins of inhibitory synaptic inputs to pyramidal neurons of the rat neocortex." The Journal of Physiology, vol. 497 ( Pt 1), 1996, pp. 109-17. |
| Connors BW, Regehr WG. "Neuronal firing: does function follow form?." Current Biology, vol. 6, no. 12, 1996, pp. 1560-2. |
| Castro-Alamancos MA, Connors BW. "Short-term plasticity of a thalamocortical pathway dynamically modulated by behavioral state." Science, vol. 272, no. 5259, 1996, pp. 274-7. |
| Castro-Alamancos MA, Connors BW. "Short-term synaptic enhancement and long-term potentiation in neocortex." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 93, no. 3, 1996, pp. 1335-9. |
| Castro-Alamancos MA, Connors BW. "Spatiotemporal properties of short-term plasticity sensorimotor thalamocortical pathways of the rat." Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 16, no. 8, 1996, pp. 2767-79. |
| Flint AC, Connors BW. "Two types of network oscillations in neocortex mediated by distinct glutamate receptor subtypes and neuronal populations." Journal of Neurophysiology, vol. 75, no. 2, 1996, pp. 951-7. |
| Castro-Alamancos MA, Donoghue JP, Connors BW. "Different forms of synaptic plasticity in somatosensory and motor areas of the neocortex." Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 15, no. 7 Pt 2, 1995, pp. 5324-33. |
| Kim HG, Beierlein M, Connors BW. "Inhibitory control of excitable dendrites in neocortex." Journal of Neurophysiology, vol. 74, no. 4, 1995, pp. 1810-4. |
| Kim HG, Fox K, Connors BW. "Properties of excitatory synaptic events in neurons of primary somatosensory cortex of neonatal rats." Cerebral Cortex, vol. 5, no. 2, 1995, pp. 148-57. |
| Connors BW. "Intrinsic neuronal physiology and the functions, dysfunctions and development of neocortex." Progress in brain research, vol. 102, 1994, pp. 195-203. |
| Cauller LJ, Connors BW. "Synaptic physiology of horizontal afferents to layer I in slices of rat SI neocortex." Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 14, no. 2, 1994, pp. 751-62. |
| Kim HG, Connors BW. "Apical dendrites of the neocortex: correlation between sodium- and calcium-dependent spiking and pyramidal cell morphology." Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 13, no. 12, 1993, pp. 5301-11. |
| Amitai Y, Friedman A, Connors BW, Gutnick MJ. "Regenerative activity in apical dendrites of pyramidal cells in neocortex." Cerebral Cortex, vol. 3, no. 1, 1993, pp. 26-38. |
| Agmon A, Connors BW. "Correlation between intrinsic firing patterns and thalamocortical synaptic responses of neurons in mouse barrel cortex." Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 12, no. 1, 1992, pp. 319-29. |
| Connors BW. "GABAA- and GABAB-mediated processes in visual cortex." Progress in brain research, vol. 90, 1992, pp. 335-48. |
| Bear MF, Press WA, Connors BW. "Long-term potentiation in slices of kitten visual cortex and the effects of NMDA receptor blockade." Journal of Neurophysiology, vol. 67, no. 4, 1992, pp. 841-51. |
| Silva LR, Amitai Y, Connors BW. "Intrinsic oscillations of neocortex generated by layer 5 pyramidal neurons." Science, vol. 251, no. 4992, 1991, pp. 432-5. |
| Silva LR, Gutnick MJ, Connors BW. "Laminar distribution of neuronal membrane properties in neocortex of normal and reeler mouse." Journal of Neurophysiology, vol. 66, no. 6, 1991, pp. 2034-40. |
| Agmon A, Connors BW. "Thalamocortical responses of mouse somatosensory (barrel) cortex in vitro." Neuroscience, vol. 41, no. 2-3, 1991, pp. 365-79. |
| Connors BW, Gutnick MJ. "Intrinsic firing patterns of diverse neocortical neurons." Trends in Neurosciences, vol. 13, no. 3, 1990, pp. 99-104. |
| Chagnac-Amitai Y, Connors BW. "Horizontal spread of synchronized activity in neocortex and its control by GABA-mediated inhibition." Journal of Neurophysiology, vol. 61, no. 4, 1989, pp. 747-58. |
| Agmon A, Connors BW. "Repetitive burst-firing neurons in the deep layers of mouse somatosensory cortex." Neuroscience Letters, vol. 99, no. 1-2, 1989, pp. 137-41. |
| Chagnac-Amitai Y, Connors BW. "Synchronized excitation and inhibition driven by intrinsically bursting neurons in neocortex." Journal of Neurophysiology, vol. 62, no. 5, 1989, pp. 1149-62. |
| Chervin RD, Pierce PA, Connors BW. "Periodicity and directionality in the propagation of epileptiform discharges across neocortex." Journal of Neurophysiology, vol. 60, no. 5, 1988, pp. 1695-713. |
| Connors BW, Malenka RC, Silva LR. "Two inhibitory postsynaptic potentials, and GABAA and GABAB receptor-mediated responses in neocortex of rat and cat." The Journal of Physiology, vol. 406, 1988, pp. 443-68. |
| Connors BW, Ransom BR. "Electrophysiological properties of ependymal cells (radial glia) in dorsal cortex of the turtle, Pseudemys scripta." The Journal of Physiology, vol. 385, 1987, pp. 287-306. |
| Connors BW, Kriegstein AR. "Cellular physiology of the turtle visual cortex: distinctive properties of pyramidal and stellate neurons." Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 6, no. 1, 1986, pp. 164-77. |
| Kriegstein AR, Connors BW. "Cellular physiology of the turtle visual cortex: synaptic properties and intrinsic circuitry." Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 6, no. 1, 1986, pp. 178-91. |
| Prince DA, Connors BW. "Mechanisms of interictal epileptogenesis." Advances in neurology, vol. 44, 1986, pp. 275-99. |
| Ransom BR, Yamate CL, Connors BW. "Activity-dependent shrinkage of extracellular space in rat optic nerve: a developmental study." Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 5, no. 2, 1985, pp. 532-5. |
| McCormick DA, Connors BW, Lighthall JW, Prince DA. "Comparative electrophysiology of pyramidal and sparsely spiny stellate neurons of the neocortex." Journal of Neurophysiology, vol. 54, no. 4, 1985, pp. 782-806. |
| Connors BW, Benardo LS, Prince DA. "Carbon dioxide sensitivity of dye coupling among glia and neurons of the neocortex." Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 4, no. 5, 1984, pp. 1324-30. |
| Connors BW, Ransom BR. "Chloride conductance and extracellular potassium concentration interact to modify the excitability of rat optic nerve fibres." The Journal of Physiology, vol. 355, 1984, pp. 619-33. |
| Connors BW. "Initiation of synchronized neuronal bursting in neocortex." J. Geophys. Res., vol. 310, no. 5979, 1984, pp. 685-7. |
| Prince DA, Connors BW. "Mechanisms of epileptogenesis in cortical structures." Annals of neurology, vol. 16 Suppl, 1984, pp. S59-64. |
| Connors BW, Benardo LS, Prince DA. "Coupling between neurons of the developing rat neocortex." Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 3, no. 4, 1983, pp. 773-82. |
| Prince DA, Connors BW, Benardo LS. "Mechanisms underlying interictal-ictal transitions." Advances in neurology, vol. 34, 1983, pp. 177-87. |
| Connors BW, Ransom BR, Kunis DM, Gutnick MJ. "Activity-dependent K+ accumulation in the developing rat optic nerve." Science, vol. 216, no. 4552, 1982, pp. 1341-3. |
| Connors BW, Prince DA. "Effects of local anesthetic QX-314 on the membrane properties of hippocampal pyramidal neurons." The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics, vol. 220, no. 3, 1982, pp. 476-81. |
| Connors BW, Gutnick MJ, Prince DA. "Electrophysiological properties of neocortical neurons in vitro." Journal of Neurophysiology, vol. 48, no. 6, 1982, pp. 1302-20. |
| Gutnick MJ, Connors BW, Prince DA. "Mechanisms of neocortical epileptogenesis in vitro." Journal of Neurophysiology, vol. 48, no. 6, 1982, pp. 1321-35. |
| Foster RE, Connors BW, Waxman SG. "Rat optic nerve: electrophysiological, pharmacological and anatomical studies during development." Brain Research, vol. 255, no. 3, 1982, pp. 371-86. |
| Connors BW. "A comparison of the effects of pentobarbital and diphenylhydantoin on the GABA sensitivity and excitability of adult sensory ganglion cells." Brain Research, vol. 207, no. 2, 1981, pp. 357-69. |
| Gutnick MJ, Connors BW, Ransom BR. "Dye-coupling between glial cells in the guinea pig neocortical slice." Brain Research, vol. 213, no. 2, 1981, pp. 486-92. |
| Kocsis JD, Malenka RC, Connors BW, Waxman SG, Cummins KL. "Population response characteristics of fiber tracts in central white matter." Progress in clinical and biological research, vol. 52, 1981, pp. 17-32. |
| Kinnes CG, Connors B, Somjen G. "The effects of convulsant doses of penicillin on primary afferents, dorsal root ganglion cells, and on 'presynaptic' inhibition in the spinal cord." Brain Research, vol. 192, no. 2, 1980, pp. 495-512. |
| Connors B, Dray A, Fox P, Hilmy M, Somjen G. "LSD's effect on neuron populations in visual cortex gauged by transient responses of extracellular potassium evoked by optical stimuli." Neuroscience Letters, vol. 13, no. 2, 1979, pp. 147-50. |
The neocortex is the largest and most unique part of the mammalian brain. It generates neural events that are essential for normal perception, motor control, memory, and cognition. To help understand the mechanisms of the neocortex, my students and I studed the basic physiology of its neurons, synapses and neurotransmitters, and the patterns of its connections. We discovered that inhibitory neurons in the cortex communicate via electrical synapses, and that electrically coupled networks of neurons can serve as pacemakers for cortical rhythms in the brain. We also studied how neural activity leads to plasticity of cortical circuits, and how the seizure discharges of epilepsy begin and propagate through the cortex. Our methods included intracellular and extracellular recording and patch clamping, neuroanatomical techniques, isolated slice preparations, molecular biology, optogenetics, and computer modeling.
NIH (NINDS), “Neocortical control of the thalamus”. R01 NS-100016-01, 7/1/17-5/31/22, Multi-PIs: Connors and Cruikshank
NIH (NINDS), “Functions of electrical synapses in inhibitory systems”, R01 NS050434-07, 2/14-1/18, PI: Connors
WM Keck Foundation Medical Research Grant Program, “Bioluminescent optogenetics to autoregulate excitable cells”, 7/15-6/18, PI: Moore, co-PIs: Connors, Hochgeschwender, Kauer, Lipscombe
Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI), “Disruptions of Cortical Function Due to Mutations of TSC1 and NHE6”, 9/1/16-8/31/17, PI: Connors, co-I: Theyel
NSF, EPSCoR, RII Track-2 FEC; “Neural Basis of Attention”, 9/1/16 – 8/31/20, PI: Tse, co-I: Connors.
Bear MF, Connors BW, Paradiso MA. Neuroscience: Exploring the Brain, 5th ed., Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2025.
Connors BW. Chapters 12 (Physiology of neurons), 13 (Synaptic transmission in the nervous system), 15 (Sensory transduction), 16 (Circuits of the central nervous system), In: Medical Physiology: A Cellular and Molecular Approach, 3rd Ed., W.F. Boron, E.L. Boulpaep (eds.), Elsevier, Philadelphia, pp. 295-333, 353-407, 2016.
| Year | Degree | Institution |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | PhD | Duke University |
| 1974 | BS | University of Dayton |
1975-79 National Institutes of Health (NIH) predoctoral fellowship
1979-81 NIH postdoctoral fellowship
1981-82 Lennox Postdoctoral Fellowship, American Epilepsy Society
1985-88 Klingenstein Fellowship in the Neurosciences
1985-91 Research Career Development Award, NIH
1992 Grass Foundation Traveling Scientist
1997 Dozor Visiting Professor, Ben-Gurion University, Israel
1997-04 Javits Neuroscience Investigator Award, NIH/NINDS
1996-06 J Neuroscience , Assoc Ed, Reviewing Ed, Senior Editor
1999-14 J Neurophysiology, Editorial Board
2000-07 Associate, Neurosciences Research Program (NRP)
2000-present L. Herbert Ballou University Professor
2004-08 Dean's Teaching Excellence Award, Brown Medical School
2008-11 NIH study section member, NST-2, K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Awards
2009-14 Epilepsy Currents, Contributing Editor
2011 Herbert Jasper Lecturer, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University
2011 Elected Fellow of AAAS
2017 Dominick Purpura Distinguished Neuroscientist Lecture, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Current editorial boards: Cerebral Cortex, Brain Structure & Function
| NEUR 1930Z - Cells and Circuits of the Nervous System |
